Kin and Kind
by Anna Nimmie Tee
Summary: Chapter 5 is up. Lina's child is threatened. Quote: You may call me ...dramatic pause...T.I.M. Close quote. Yeah, this author can't keep up angst.
1. Kin and Kind, Part 1

Kin & Kind*, Part 1  
  
*Archaic: family, lineage; Modern: a group united by common traits or interests; loving, of a forbearing nature. (Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 10th ed.)  
  
By: Anna Nimmie Tee  
  
Slayers copyright 1991-2000 by Hajime Kanzaka/Rui Araizumi/Kadokawa Shoten/TV TOKYO/SOFTX/Marubeni   
  
Author's Notes:  
  
The usual disclaimers that Slayers characters are not my own but those of Hajime Kanzaka et al. This is but my feeble use of them, especially in comparison with the other Slayers fanfic writers. Absolutely no monetary gain is intended or desired, only amusement.   
  
This is a very long extension and massive rewrite under my other pen name of one of my fanfics that was formerly on Astra's now defunct Gourrina Writers Guild. I originally divided the fic into five parts in order to fit the limits of my message composer. It's been posted a couple other places, but, as usual, I've changed, added, deleted, or shifted some wording.  
  
Thanks and hugs go to Sharlene/Mynuet and Colin Carley for beta reading and as well as Kaitrin for making very good suggestions.   
  
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Family. It was very, very important to Gourry. So Lina had discovered when he insisted they visit hers. Several times on their way to Zephilia Lina had tried to back out on going home, but Gourry was adamant. It was then she finally learned the true story of the Sword of Light and of the great sacrifice Gourry had made to keep his family peacefully together: exile from the family he loved by his stealing away with the hotly contested Sword of Light. She realized he might need even HER family to fill partially the hole left by the heartbreak of never being able to return to his own home.  
  
As it turned out, Lina survived, or, rather, she and Gourry survived her homecoming. Big Sis didn't kill her, although the slugs in her frilly pink bed sheets nearly did her in. Her screams brought Gourry rushing into her room.   
  
"Wow," exclaimed Gourry, looking where her shaking finger pointed while she clung to him, "Now I know finally know what a 'slug-a-bed' is!"  
  
"You're not even close to right, Bait-for-Brains!" Lina snarled as she clonked him on the head but latched her trembling self onto him again and buried her face in his chest.  
  
"Salt'll take care of this," Gourry remarked, "Too bad it won't help the slugs you give me."  
  
As Lina's fist came down for the second time on his head, it encountered a steel helmet. "Yeow! What...?!"  
  
"It's a slug guard," the blond slowly smirked.  
  
Lina just moaned and threw a dictionary at him.  
  
Gourry didn't escape Luna's attentions either. Snide remarks to Gourry, such as,  "So, Sexy, have you done the horizontal tango with my sister yet? She's flat but athletic," had the poor guy in a state of perpetual blush.  
  
Choking down the first of her mother's so-called home-cooked meals, Lina reflected silently, *Mom hasn't improved her cooking skills since I left. You'd think at her age and with her sorcery capability she could at least fry an egg. Heck, even Gourry can do that and more. That a guy whose warped taste-buds let him enjoy orca can still cook a decent meal is amazing.*   
  
As a matter of fact, Gourry did come to Lina's culinary rescue and won her mother over by helping out with, i.e., taking over, the cooking and clean-up whenever they didn't eat at Luna's restaurant. His speedy and accurate chopping skills especially made Mrs. Inverse starry-eyed, although his fancifully carved fruits and vegetables were also a sight to behold. Particularly impressive were his golden dragons sculpted out of yellow crook-necked squash. However, Lina thought his eggplant Xelloss was a little too creepy.  
  
It was very awkward, though, when he and her father first saw each other. "You!" they both yelled at the same time. Before Gourry could say anything else, the older man grabbed Gourry by the shirt and shouted excitedly, "Do you still have the sword somewhere? Didya throw it away after all? You know I wanted it!" His un-lit cigarette dangled and danced in his lips.  
  
"No, it just went back were it belonged," Gourry responded in bewilderment.   
  
"Dad, what's going on here? How do you know about Gourry and the Sword of Light?!" Lina exclaimed as she pried her father's hands off Gourry.  
  
"Lina, shut your mouth. You look like the village idiot," Her father commanded. "Yes, we met a long time ago. By the time I returned home, you had left," and he told her the whole story.  
  
Later, Dad took her aside and said, "He's not the brightest coin in the cash register, but he's a good warrior and definitely loves you, Little Bird. He'll do, even if he doesn't know to whom he should give swords."  
  
"I'll agree with you on that last point, Dad," Lina snorted.   
  
In spite of Luna, the rest of the visit had settled into a comfortable routine. Gourry adapted to the monotony of daily chores more cheerfully than Lina did. He truly seemed to enjoy the respite from adventure for a little while. One afternoon, Lina felt particularly bored.  Gourry and her father had gone off fishing, the ale they had taken along attesting to the probable safety of the fish. Luna was at work, and her mother was busy in the shop. Not wanting to get recruited by her mother for manual labor, Lina decided to visit the main library in Zephilia to search for new leads on magical spells or treasures.   
  
The library had changed considerably while she had been traveling. It had turned from a dinky, small town book collection to a genuine learning center, complete with new wizards to ease use of an integrated library system and to keep track of library  holdings. After a few hours of searching, she found, to her delight, that there was some sort of a magical belt in the northern most reaches of the Elmekian Empire. She was a little frustrated, though, because the manuscript was damaged and did not mention HOW the belt was magical. Gourry had been evasive about his family and most reluctant to return home, but she was dying to see where he had come from and to meet some of his family. She thought, *He's met my family. It's only fair that I meet his. How bad can they be, compared to my sister? This belt thing may do the trick to ease my curiosity.*  
  
Thinking about Gourry, she returned to the family store and decided to help her mother, after all. Mrs. Inverse was in the process of doing yearly inventory. The shop had prospered and had expanded in Lina's absence. With good investments and sales techniques, the Inverse parents had paid off all the debts due to the damage caused the city by the two sisters' magical 'growing pains'. Luna had initially begun waitressing to help pay the debts, but, considering her appetite was as bad, if not worse, than Lina's, she found remaining at the restaurant very much to her advantage after the dire monetary need was gone.   
  
Plus she had the hots for the handsome owner.   
  
As Lina entered the family store, she basked in the feel and smell of magic. She surveyed the full shelves lining the walls on all sides and the low counters with their tastefully arranged goods on and in them. Each type of magic gave off unique 'scent'. Some were sweet, others spicy; some gave off a floral aroma, while still others were sharp and tangy. Mrs. Inverse made sure to keep the right amount of each kind of stock to create a blend of scents that were enticing to a magic user, not off-putting.  
  
When her mother, upon hearing the entrance bell, emerged from the door at the back of the store, Lina asked, "Have Gourry and Dad returned from fishing yet?"   
  
"Ha!" Mom exclaimed as she reached up to put away a box of special lucky charms. "You asked about that young man before you did your father. Your feelings about him must be pretty strong, hm?"  
  
Lina blushed and absently picked up and gently shook a box of newt eyes, which had been lying on the counter. She answered, "He does mean a lot to me, Mom, but I don't really know what I want. He says he wants to protect me for the rest of his life, but he's never mentioned he wants to marry me. Part of me wants him to propose, but I'm not sure if I'm ready to be tied down yet. Were you as confused with Dad?"  
  
"Lina, put that box down. Bruised eyes make bad brews. If you need something to do with your hands,  you can straighten up that display of enchanted daggers next to you." She brushed a lock of hair out of Lina's eyes and patted her cheek. "Confused? Oh, not really, but then I was bit older than you, Honey, and ready to settle down when your father proposed. I wouldn't worry, Sweetie. You are still so young, and your Gourry is more patient and wise than you realize."  
  
"Ya think, Mom? 'Wise' doesn't seem to pair up with 'jellyfish'."  
  
"Lina, remember there are several kinds and sources of knowledge. Some are in the mind, like yours, and some are in the heart and soul. Be still and listen to the information your own heart is trying to tell you sometime."  
  
A few days later, they left Zephilia after a flurry of warm hugs from Lina's parents and even Luna. Just before they parted, a look passed between Mr. Inverse and Gourry. It ended with the older man looking satisfied and patting Gourry firmly on the back.  
  
"What was that about?" Lina asked her protector.  
  
"Ah, nothing much. I'll tell you some other time."  
  
Several trolls  and two bandit gangs later, it slipped both their minds.  
  
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After a few months of travel and a serious near death experience, Lina finally followed her mother's advice, listened to her heart, and gave in to the depth of her feelings for the swordsman. They, Amelia, and Zelgadis had been escorting Sylphiel to a shrine where the demure young woman was to give instruction in healing to new shrine maidens. It was to have been a sort of vacation for our two traditional couples, but, of course, they came under mazoku attack, and she thought Gourry had actually died. Sylphiel cast Resurrection with Amelia's help and saved him. That night, after depositing Sylphiel at the shrine, a disturbed Lina paid a visit to Gourry's room. His soothing words led to soothing touch and then a joyous physical intimacy.   
  
Later, Lina explained to Amelia, "It finally hit me how mortal we are and how little time we could have." She stared in the distance and added, "The thought I could be without him at anytime, our relationship unsettled, threw me into a weird funk. I found myself stupidly clinging to him in his room that night and WANTING him." She gave an uncharacteristic sigh. "His comforting presence felt oh, so good." Amelia raised an eyebrow. "Oh, yeah, something else also felt oh, so good," Lina snickered as she blushed.  
  
"Miss Lina, and what would that be?" Amelia asked with a salacious little giggle.    
  
"Tsk, tsk, Amelia, aren't royal shrine maidens supposed to be pure in thought? Anyway, to get serious again, now I understand my mother's saying he was wiser than I knew. He waited so patiently for me to accept him."   
  
Late in the afternoon after Lina's and Gourry's barrier breaking night, Lina, Gourry, Amelia, and Zelgadis picked up Sylphiel from the shrine. Sylphiel watched Lina and Gourry. They chatted and laughed like always, except they were walking arm in arm. Sylphiel told herself fiercely to be happy that Lina was finally treating Gourry with some affection and with considerably less violence. Her resolve to be cheerful wobbled a bit, however, when it came time to go upstairs at the inn that night. Nothing had been said, but as they trooped up the stairs, Sylphiel had stared at Gourry and Lina together. They had only one room key between them. Sylphiel then looked at Amelia with an unspoken question. Amelia gave a slight, affirmative nod. Sylphiel felt tears pricking her eyes, but gave the concerned Amelia the best smile she could come up with as she made a small, barely noticeable 'ok' sign with her fingers.   
  
When the group reached Seyruun, Gourry and Lina announced they were to be married. As Lina finally discovered, Gourry had talked to Lina's parents long before about his feelings for her, but they had all agreed he was wise to hold off asking her to marry him until she was mentally and emotionally ready. Lina's father basically had advised, "When she's ready for a wedding, do it. Don't worry about our being there. It should be a happy time for her without family tension, especially from her sister."  
  
Of course, Amelia and her father went nuts and insisted the young couple be married in the Grand Temple of Seyruun. Lina and Gourry managed to get them to tone it down to the chapel in the palace. With Amelia's help, Lina found a gorgeous wedding dress. Its form-fitting cut, cream colored embroidery accents on the white, and low neckline made her petite body seem to say, "Yes, I DO have breasts." Lina did not like long, flowing sleeves, because she felt they hampered spell casting. "Only frauds have them to conceal their tricks," she sniffed. Thus the sleeves of her gown were tight fitting and only reached her elbows. Amelia had wanted her to wear a longer train on the gown, but, again, Lina insisted on a more practical, maneuverable, short one. One concession to  Amelia's romantic ideals were Lina's bare, soft shoulders, which looked like they were begging for Gourry's touch. Of course, Lina wore gloves, white ones, which came to her elbows.  
  
Gourry emerged from his room in dark blue trousers with  braiding swirling in fine loops along outside of his thighs and a very handsome shirt of a very thin, fine, white fabric, which was embroidered in intricate geometric cross-stitch patterns. He held a dark blue jacket with braiding that matched that on the trousers. At the his friends' and bride's exclamations, he explained, looking down and blushing, "It's a wedding shirt from my country. I've carried it with me and have been working on it in secret for long time,"  
  
"Oho," Zel laughed, "You work wonders with short pointy objects as well as with long pointy ones!"  
  
The ceremony was a quick one in the castle's chapel, where Prince Phil's empty coffin had lain after the assassination attempt by Gaav's minions. Lina thanked the gods for the speed, because she didn't know if Gourry's short attention span would have allowed for anything more elaborate. Plus her stomach was starting to rumble by the end of the ceremony, not exactly a delicate bride thing. The Seyruun head priest bound their hands together palm to palm with multicolored ribbons to signify all the emotions and experiences good and bad they could have together. Vows were exchanged, and Amelia, Sylphiel, and Prince Phil smiled through their tears when Lina and Gourry kissed. Zel led a cheer for the newlyweds as they raced laughingly to the banquet hall.   
  
Amelia tearily remarked "It's so unjust neither of their families could be here to witness this happy occasion. If only Ms. Lina and Mr. Gourry had given us more time to plan and contact their families! There wasn't enough time for them to travel here. I guess we'll just have to be their substitutes, won't we, Daddy and Mr. Zelgadis?" Both men thus addressed nodded their agreement smilingly.   
  
Zel added, "But we'd better catch up with them quickly before they leave no food for the rest of the family!"  
  
A huge feast was provided with enough delicious dishes to keep the new couple happy and leave something left over for the guests. And wonders of wonders, Lina and Gourry actually fed each other the traditional first cut slices of wedding cake, instead of shoving the pieces into their own mouths. They even refrained from complaining the other had gotten a larger slice.  
  
Prince Phil had hired a small orchestra, which seemed to have an endless knowledge of all types of dances from just about everywhere. One of the musicians gave a start as Gourry entered the room. A slight squawk from his violin earned him a frown from the leader. While people ate, the orchestra played light, formal compositions and a few songs popular in Seyruun and Zephilia.   
  
Once Lina and Gourry seemed to be sated with food, the musicians broke into the lilting melody of the newlyweds' waltz, and with a fond smile Gourry held out his hand to his bride. After a slight look of panic when she initially couldn't find the loop of her dress' train holder, Lina took a step toward him and nearly tripped anyway on the front hem of her dress. Her husband's strong hands steadied her. "Thank goodness I convinced Amelia I should wear low heels instead of those ankle-breakers she originally thought I should have," Lina congratulated herself.  
  
For once, Lina didn't preen at being the center of everyone's attention, lost as she was in the love of Gourry's eyes as they glided and whirled.   
  
The next dance was a lively, simple couple dance from Zephilia. With a short demonstration from Lina and Gourry, the rest of the guests followed, except for a few courtly stick-in-the-muds, who thought such peasant dances were beneath them. Yes, sadly enough, there were those present who were not as fond of the couple as Amelia and her father would have liked them to be.   
  
"Such a fuss over a merchant's daughter and a mercenary," they grumbled, but didn't want to miss out on the food or political advantage of being there.   
  
One over-dressed popinjay with his nose in the air advanced to the orchestra leader and whispered a request while placing a hefty tip in the musician's cummerbund. The noble, considerably less politically savvy than he thought he was, mumbled to his friends, "This will show everyone how this couple is truly unworthy of this much attention."  
  
A slow, complicated court dance began its introductory notes. Amelia began to fume at the rude behavior of such a guest. Prince Phil shot a furious glance at the man and his friends, who unwisely smirked as they took their places. Gourry, however, held his head high, straightened his shoulders back, took Lina by the hand, and proudly and gracefully stepped into the circle with her. Amelia and her father worriedly took their place beside them. Gourry gave a little smile and nodded slightly to Prince Phil, who raised an eyebrow.   
  
"Just let me lead you, Lina. I'll try to instruct you a little before each new step," Gourry spoke in a low voice to his wife. Amelia also helped, whispering when she was near Lina. Thanks to their help and her swords-woman training, which made footwork easier to learn, Lina managed to make it through the patterns, while Gourry projected very much a command of the dance.  
  
"Mr. Gourry, how did you know that?" Amelia squeaked in surprise. "It's a High Court dance!"  
  
"Uh, well, my mother made sure I knew several countries' court dances as well as our own folk dances."  
  
"And why is that, Jellyfish?" Lina asked with an eyebrow raised in suspicion.  
  
With an uncomfortable look on his face he raised a hand to scratch the back of his head and answered, "Ah, she wanted me prepared when I went to court functions."  
  
"'WHEN'?' Not even 'IF'? Have you been keeping something about your family from me?" Lina was nearly jumping out of her skin.  
  
"No. You just never asked about my family's background."  
  
"Stop beating about Holy Tree Flagoon!" Lina raised a fist to bop her husband one, but was forestalled by Sylphiel's gently, but firmly, laying a hand on the sorceress' raised arm.  
  
"Oh, Gourry d-, Gourry, never told you his father was an Elmekian baron? His family has guarded the northern reaches of the Empire from invasion from Dynast's minions for generations," Sylphiel softly interceded. "And didn't you expect descendants from the Swordsman of Light to have been honored with SOME sort of title of nobility by SOMEBODY? I thought you knew, since you stayed with him after he gave up the Sword of Light," she added innocently.  
  
Lina was about to blow up at the priestess, even if it was her 'happiest day'. A dangerous fire appeared in her eyes and her hands started to arch together, "Sylphiel..."  
  
Gourry grabbed both Lina's hands, kissed her, and swung her away in another rollicking folk dance just in time.  
  
The violinist who had started when he saw Gourry, caught the swordsman's eye as the dance ended near him and exclaimed in delight, "Cousin Gourry, it IS you! We were just told we were to play for a wedding at the palace but not the names of the couple being married!"  
  
He then spoke in an Elmekian dialect. Lina knew some standard Elmekian, but the dialect was too hard for her to understand much. Gourry answered and seemed to ask a question in return. The musician than turned to his leader and whispered something. The leader nodded and mouthed the name of the next dance. A slow minor melody began weaving through the instruments.  
  
Gourry gave a wicked grin at Lina and lifting his hands, started snapping his fingers in time to the music. Still smiling at her, he began to strut, heel, toe, heel, toe, long legs stretching out, in a circle about her. As the music gathered speed, he then went through an intricate series of squatting kicking steps, leaps, spins, and step patterns. Faster and faster the music raced. His hair was a flying, golden cloud swirling about his head and ecstatic face. Higher Gourry leapt, culminating a leap that took watchers' breath away as he bent backwards in mid-air and almost touched his feet to his head, his arms flung joyously upward in abandon, his bright tresses spread out like a sun-burst. As the music ended, he slid on his knees with a shout to where Lina stood amazed. His shirt was open, and his face and chest glistened as he panted, joy radiating out of him.  
  
His bride had watched him in awe and pride as he got more and more into the dance. Her throat had tightened, and she had shivered, almost feeling like crying with the joy of knowing he was hers. His dancing had a magic about it, a dangerous magic, a powerful magic. Literally, she realized with shock as she glanced around the room and saw other women's faces, some drooling. And a few men. *Wha...?* Lina thought, but when she looked at her gorgeous husband again, she found her rational thought process had gone bye-bye. She groaned to herself, "Damn, where's the nearest bedroom when you need it? Why can't we leave NOW?!"   
  
Gourry had eyes only for her and seemed oblivious to everyone elses' admiration. Her desire must have been very noticeable, for, as he got slowly to his feet, Gourry whispered, "In a bit, Lina, in a bit. I gotta get my breath, ya know?"  
  
She muttered in his ear, "Hey, Lover-boy, save some energy for thehoneymoon, will ya?" They smiled knowingly at each other.  
  
A late wedding 'guest' slipped in unnoticed. Although his face was thin, his body seemed rather bulky. As more dances were played, he glided closer to the newlyweds. Gourry's Elmekian cousin spied him, and a look of concern swiftly crossed his face. When Gourry passed by him, he caught the swordsman's eye and, giving a quick glance in the stranger's direction, mouthed something and made a few subtle hand movements. Gourry started and, responding in a like manner, finished with a very slight nod of his head. The stranger at that point had been looking at Lina and didn't see the silent communication between the two Elmekians. After the dance ended, Gourry signaled Zelgadis to come over.  
  
"Hey, Zel, let's show everybody the sword dance from your childhood home. It's so cool! These guys know the music."  
  
Zelgadis, unlike Lina, was NOT happy to be the center of attention and demurred, "Uh, Gourry, I'd rather not."  
  
Gourry whispered something in chimera's ear. Zelgadis' eyes slightly widened and then dangerously narrowed. He nodded his consent.  
  
"Everyone, please clear a circle. This next dance can be kinda dangerous," Gourry cautioned as Zel went for their swords, which along with the guests' swords had been left with Prince Phil's weapons check girls.   
  
The crowd complied. The stranger was in the front line. Again the music started slowly, this time with oboe and drum, and the two swordsmen moved together across the floor in flowing, stylized, postures. They began to strike each other's swords in slow, swirling arcs in time to the music. As music picked up and other instruments joined in, the clash of swords accented the music even more. The dancers leapt up over each others swords, past each other and twirled. As the music reached frantic speed, suddenly Gourry's sword flashed in quick, silver slashes around the stranger. The man's outer clothing dropped away as did the throwing knives, blowgun, poison darts, poison vials, and other assassin tools. A rather scrawny fellow stood clad only in his yellow bikini briefs with a happy face on them.  
  
Prince Phil yelled, "Guards! Take this felon away to face our questioning and justice later! How dare he come to change this day of joy and joining to sorrow and parting!"  
  
As it turned out, the assassin was an Elmekian mercenary known too well by the Gabrievs. At first, everyone wondered who was the target of the assassin, but a contract letter found on the man revealed to everyone's shock, that Gourry, not the more likely Prince Phil, Amelia or Lina was to have been the victim. The contract letter mentioned no names and, when questioned, the would-be killer said the contract and partial payment were delivered by a masked messenger. Lina was more determined than ever to meet Gourry's family and find out who had sent the man and why.   
  
During a break in the playing of music, Gourry's cousin, the musician Anatoly, while indulging in typical Gabriev gorging, discussed with the couple the would-be assassin and a little of what had happened in Gourry's family's fiefdom. It didn't sound good.  
  
"Shortly after you left, Gourry, your mother disappeared as well. Between the cruel, iron rule of your eldest step-brother and the depredations of the Heart-breaker, even the domovoi [Slavic guardian house spirit] was so neglected and disgusted, it left. I did the same, after running into a little bit of trouble because I couldn't keep my mouth shut."  
  
"Why didn't you become a mercenary, too?" Gourry asked. "You've had warrior training."  
  
"You gotta recall I'm a better musician than swordsman. You gave me the small scars that prove it. That's why I've been picking up gigs to keep body and soul together, instead of fighting," Anatoly answered.   
  
"Ah, remember, this is Gourry. There are shallow drawers in his memory's wardrobe," Lina broke in. "But who's the Heart-breaker?"   
  
"One of my elder step-brothers. He's such a handsome jerk, that many girls have been seduced and abandoned by him," Gourry explained.  
  
"Sounds like he needs a fireball or two down his pants," the sorceress commented with an evil gleam in her eye.  
  
"Ummm. Too late for that," Anatoly informed them. "He seduced one fragile maiden too many. His last conquest drowned herself in the river and became a vengeful rusalka. She and the other rusalki drowned him over a year ago."  
  
"Damn," Gourry softly whispered, and a tear slipped down his cheek. "He might have been a scoundrel, but he was my brother, after all."  
  
"And he probably would have killed you if you had returned while he was still alive," Anatoly reminded the new groom and hugged him. "Hey, no tears! Remember you've just married the beautiful and talented Lina Inverse."  
  
"Yes, indeed, Jellyfish!" And the beautiful and talented Lina Inverse gathered the swordsman's hair in her hands to pull his face down for a quick fist to his noggin. (Love and marriage hadn't changed her temper all THAT much.) "Stop feeling sorry! You'll ruin your wedding shirt with your tears! I like it much better that you're alive and he's not than the other way around!" As he blinked his tears away, she planted a mollifying little kiss on his lips and wiped his face with her gloved hands.  
  
After submitting to his wife's ministrations, Gourry admitted he had known his mother would vanish after she had given him the Sword of Light. His father was dead, and the stepsons had never looked kindly on her. "She probably joined Granny," he speculated.  
  
"Don't know. We never heard," Anatoly answered, "but I'd advise not returning home, especially after that assassin today. Somebody there is out to get you, whether you still have the Sword of Light or not. Your exploits with Lina must have gathered you enough fame finally to make you traceable."  
  
Lina, however, was not of the same opinion. She wanted to deal with whomever had sent the man. "I think a little family visit and a few little explosive spells might be in order," she mused in a low voice.  
  
"And in later time have the children of destroyed relatives seek revenge on the children we may hope to have? No, Lina, I left home with the Sword of Light to end family strife and violence. I don'twant to cause more of it."  
  
A fresh supply of food put an end to further conversation as the three became preoccupied until Anatoly had to rejoin the orchestra.  
  
After a several more sedate dances, the couple came to Lina's third favorite part of the wedding, the presents. (First being the luxurious wedding night, second, the wedding feast.) The wedding present from Zel provided many blushes from the newlyweds and roars of laughter from the more bawdy minded. "Since you are such an 'innocent girl' and Gourry seems so, well, so Gourry, this might be useful for further explorations," Zel said red-faced, as he handed a wrapped book to the couple. "You might want to open this after you go to your room."   
  
Lina, being Lina, thought it might be a book of great spells and of course tore the wrapping off then and there. She promptly turned into a beet in a white gown. Gourry's eyes grew large, blinked several times, and he joined Lina in color, although he said as he pulled his re-buttoned collar, "Oh come on, Zel. I'm a mercenary and have lived in barracks off and on for several years."  
  
"Ah, the memories," Prince Phil sighed, "My dear wife and I enjoyed an earlier edition of that."  
  
Amelia gulped and muttered, "Ack, I don't want to think about that. My daddy and mommy...No, no, no."  
  
A dangerous, twinkling light came into Lina's eyes, "Oh, Zel, did you say you were actually just lending it to us?"  
  
While a flaming faced Amelia examined a non-existent spot on her dress, Zel squeaked, "N..no, it's a gift. I've no use for it right now." He clapped a hand over his mouth.  
  
"'No use right now', eh, but later...?" Lina's voice trailed off in speculation.  
  
"Ah, I think I'll get another glass of wine," the chimera excused himself and quickly strode off in search of said wine and a dark spot in which to hide his embarrassment.  
  
"Why don't you two open this present. It's got an interesting rattle," Amelia blushingly interjected and quickly thrust a package into Lina's arms.  
  
Later on that night, though, Zel's gift of the pillow book was instructive, as well as a great source of amusement. "Will you look at page 63! No damn way! Pretzel City!" Lina giggled, snuggling further into Gourry's now warm, bare arms. Her foot rubbed one of his hairy, naked legs.  Each spouse held one side of the book.   
  
"With mustard or without?" Gourry queried.  
  
"Oooo, with lots of butter!" Lina replied and licked his chest, before both dissolved into unbridled laughter.  
  
Yes, sex was delightful and exciting, but the warmth and comfort of a lover's bare back, touch of a foot against the other's leg, a hand brushing back the other's hair, were the things that gave each a feeling of security and of a more enduring kind of love, love that had built over the years and found expression in small touches. Lina suddenly felt more sympathy for Eris. She understood Eris' desperation more and the reason for creating Kopii Rezo. Curiously enough, Lina also lost her fear of slugs, but we won't go there.   
  
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Lina knew her spouse would be reluctant to go to Elmekia without some manipulation. Remembering the Elmekian magical belt she had read about in the main library of Zephilia and acting her cutest and sexiest, she used the belt as an excuse to accomplish what she desired. The guy never had a chance.   
  
Amelia and Prince Phil had sent them off on a honeymoon to a small, wooded estate. The servants were unobtrusive but very conscientious of the couple's needs, both for food and privacy. Two days after the wedding, Linda and Gourry finished a large breakfast in a secluded, sunken garden with rustic, twisted vine chairs, benches, and tables. The sun through the tall poplars and oaks dappled the flowers and lawn. Doves cooed, and other birds wove their songs around the coos. The two were in loose silk robes. Gourry leaned back against his bench and, exposing his legs from out his deep blue robe, stretched out cat-like in the sun. He cradled the back of his head with both his hands and with half closed eyes smiled contentedly at Lina. The sun reflecting off his bright mane made Lina think, *Gods, he may be only a baron's younger son, but he's MY dream prince!*   
  
Leaning over her side of the table between them and letting her golden robe fall open enough to show the cleavage caused by her arms folded under her breasts, she began her campaign by asking, "Gourry, I doubt very much you would know, but have you ever heard of an Elmekian magical belt? I read about it in the Zephilian main library, but the manuscript didn't say what its powers were."   
  
"Oh, THAT belt. Uh, Lina, I really don't think you'd want to find it right now." Gourry reddened, but leaned over to play absently with a lock of her hair.  
  
"And why not?" she pouted and sat up straight.  
  
"Promise you won't hit me?"  
  
"Yes, Dear," she answered too sweetly.  
  
"Well, it will make your chest grow bigger..."  
  
"And this is bad?" she shrieked while grabbing the lapel of his robe with one hand and raising her other hand in a fist.   
  
"...as well as your tummy. You know what a chastity belt is supposed to do, don't you?"   
  
"You mean...?"  
  
"Yeah, it's the opposite; it's a fertility belt."  
  
"Oh." Pause. "Hey, some people would give a lot of money for it!"  
  
"Especially as it also works cross species. We could give it to Amelia and Zel or Filia and Xelloss as a wedding present!"  
  
"What! and lose good money? Besides who says either of those two couples would go that far, ESPECIALLY Filia and Xelloss?"  
  
"You just have to read the fanfiction." Then Gourry argued, "Lina, I'm not sure going to my home country is such a good idea. I left because the Sword of Light would have been ill-used by my elder brothers. I don't know if I can safely face the remaining one again. But, it's true, I would like to see my momma and remaining granny."  
  
Reaching up and cupping a her hand on the side of his cheek, his wife felt a tear slide down his face.  
  
"We'll try to avoid the barony, but somehow get word to your other relatives we're passing through," she comforted him, although she still had the urge to meet and Dragon Slave her dear brother-in-law's ass, for she suspected he had something to do with the assassin.  
  
Gourry kissed the finger tips of her hand that held his cheek and then elsewhere as she gave a little laugh of pleasure...  
  
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If you have ever seen the gorgeous macho-ness of Ukrainian/Georgian/Russian/ male folk dancers, maybe you'll be able to visualize Gourry's solo dance better.  
  
There are a heck of a lot of cultures, European, Middle Eastern and Asian that have sword dances. Pick which ever culture you want.  
  
   
  
   
  
   
  
   
  
   
  
  


	2. Kin and Kind, Part 2

Kin & Kind, Part 2  
  
A few weeks later, Lina and Gourry sneaked across the Elmekian border a bit south of the Gabriev lands. They didn't want to alert whomever had sent the assassin that they were in the Empire, especially if border guards farther north happened to catch them.   
  
While on their way, Lina noticed during their meal times that Gourry was obviously anxious. He only ordered double portions of everything, not triple. He seemed more maddeningly distracted than usual. Conversations were very unsatisfactory as his responses often consisted of "Uh," "Huh," "Uh huh," and "Uh uh." Taking out a couple bandit gangs didn't relieve the tension, for Gourry had always been uncomfortable with Lina's method of replenishing the travel purse.  
  
After three nights of his flailing about in his sleep and his yelling in Elmekian, which she only slightly knew, the petite sorceress had had it. Gourry was looking confused, more so than usual, and haggard. She couldn't believe the normally easy-going swordsman could be so angst-ridden. Even in the preludes of their encounters with the most powerful mazoku and Shabranigdo himself, Gourry had seemed so calm in comparison.   
  
After completing a breakfast where he had stolen only two sausages and one fried egg from her, and that, it appeared, only out of habit, Lina stood up straight and, fists propping her up, she leaned across the table. With her face inches from his she bellowed, "Ok, Gourry, what the heck is eating you instead of your eating your food?! Are you losing your nerve with the thought of perhaps running into your older brother or other relatives by accident?"  
  
With a unhappy, confused look instead of his usual cheerful visage, he whispered, "No, not that, Lina. I don't know. It's something to do with being back in Elmekia, I think... I feel so uneasy, like something from my past is going to bite me, a bad memory of some sort."   
  
A snide remark started to come to her mouth, but retreated when his tone of voice and look overcame her brash side and awoke her newly discovered affectionate one. She went to his side, put her arms around her husband's shoulders, and hugged him closely and comfortingly. He sighed and smiled lovingly at her.  
  
A couple days later, they came upon a vastly devastated land, where ruins, scattered weapons, and rusted armor gave proof that an enormous battle had taken place. From their vantage point on the edge of the terrain, they could see maimed ghosts, their business unfinished, flit over the landscape. Lina heard a painful gulp come from throat of her mate as they surveyed the desolation. Looking over at him, to her utter surprise she saw tears streaming down his face and his left hand covering his mouth as though to stifle any sorrowful sound he might make. Standing straight and stiff, he made a manly effort to control his emotions, but he suddenly bent over, and his abdomen jerked in spasms as he fought down sobs. His eyes held a haunted, horrified look. "Gourry!? What the....?" she inquired gently, shaken by his very uncharacteristic reaction to the sight before them.  
  
"I remember, Lina, oh gods, I remember. I've always have been successful at blocking out bad stuff and focusing on the now, but...!" he broke off and sank to his knees, his hair swinging forward and hiding his agony. Lina could just make out a few of his whispered words, "There and there...Innocents...Kids, women, ...friends... Ghastly deaths... Senseless war... greed...betrayal..." He turned a stricken face to Lina and spat out, "Each side made grand declarations that they had the good of their subjects in mind. But they all lied, Lina, they LIED!"  
  
Lina decided her usual method of administering tough therapy wasn't called for and, kneeling in front of him, she gently pushed back his hair. His tears weren't the comically spurting ones of self pity or streams of slapstick pain. They were the slow trickles of sorrow felt for the loss and waste of the lives of others and for a survivor's remembered helplessness to prevent it. Somehow surviver's guilt manifested itself in Gourry here, while even the destruction of Sairaag hadn't. She cradled his face in her hands and softly said, "Let it out."  
  
"M...m...mercenaries supposed to care only about getting paid, but, Lina, I couldn't think only of the spoils...I couldn't fight just for fighting's sake either, unlike poor Grize... I need a purpose, pure and clean,...like protecting you."  
  
"I know, I know, Gourry. Say, after defeating that cult trying to raise a monster and war, we never saw your friend, Grize again."  
  
"He was one of them. I...I...I had to kill him. He was a true warrior and couldn't live without war. He almost murdered you while you were counteracting the summoning spell."  
  
"No, Gourry, YOU are the true warrior, because you do what you can to avoid conflict and apply your skills full heartedly only when you feel it's necessary and just. (Gads, I sound like Amelia. She does grow on you.)"  
  
With an effort, he got a hold of his control again and continued, "But so many in the armies didn't care about anything else but loot, fighting, and...and...other lusts. There used to be a peaceful town here. A few weeks before the battle, my mercenary group stayed in this very place. The people were friendly, and the food was good. One afternoon I did sword tricks for the kids. One of them took me home to meet his brothers and sisters and to have his mother feed me. One of his sisters near my age was so lively, self-assured, and pretty. She wasn't a clinger. Not much in the figure department, but..." Gourry trailed off and wiped his eyes with his forearm. "She was studying magic, but wanted to learn swordsmanship. I spent several days instructing her and her brothers. She would have been a fine companion to any wanderer."  
  
Lina felt a stab of jealousy and sat back on her knees from him until he added, "She could have been almost as good as you are, though not as beautiful. Then the final battle of the Empire's civil war came here. The leader of our mercenary band sent Grize to the leader of another to ask for reinforcements. Grize was wounded and couldn't return. I was fighting back to back with my fellow mercenaries and thought of the family that had made me so welcome. I managed to fight my way to their home, but it was too late...Gods, Lina, the expressions on their faces, at least of those that still had faces left. And she..." Gourry paused again with shudders running throughout his large frame.   
  
He clutched Lina tightly in his arms and silently held her for a few moments before resuming, "I saw the boy who had delighted in my swordplay suddenly dash from the ruins of his home. An arrow took him in the throat...from someone in my mercenary company! Our s were on the arrow. As I ran toward the boy and knocked aside other arrows, swords, maces, and whatever, I saw several soldiers from each side fighting over the spoils they found in the house. Our captain so strong and good tried to restore order but was slain from behind as I tried to run to her defense. Then I was suddenly knocked unconscious."  
  
The swordsman rose to his feet, and Lina slipped her arm around his waist, love and concern shimmering in her big, dark-cherry ed eyes. She agreed with his request when he pleaded, "Please, Lina. Let's detour around this area. I don't know how I would take it if I saw more of their ghosts." He then mused gratefully, "Lina, it's so good to have a strong woman as my wife instead of a constantly clingy one. You're there for me when I need you."  
  
As they slowly walked, her arm around his waist, his across her shoulders, a faint smile crossed the the man's face. "The next thing I remember is waking up in a warm, comfortable bed. I had been found and physically healed." A thought occurred to him. "Lina! Maybe it was one of my old mercenary companions who sent the assassin because of what I saw. Or someone from this village is taking revenge on the members of my old company for betraying hospitality."  
  
"If they did, they must've gotten rich after the battle, if they could afford that particular assassin," Lina snorted.   
  
Just then a young person suddenly appeared, ran and embraced the blond. "Master Gourry, is it really you? And who is this lady? She looks like a sorceress." Realizing from Lina's outfit that she wasn't from Elmekian Empire, out of courtesy he had spoken in the common trade tongue. 

The couple stared in startled amazement at the young man who had addressed Gourry. He seemed to be about 13 or 14 years old, for his voice was just starting to change. His light brown hair was in a short bowl cut and he was clad in a homespun, rust ed, long sleeved tunic which fastened at the side of the collarband and down one side of his body. The tunic was simply embroidered along the edges and reached mid-thigh. A woven belt bunched it together around his narrow waist. Semi-white wrappings covered ankles and calves and the lower ends of his loose dark brown trousers. His shoes were woven straw and tied on with cords that laced up around his lower legs. A bulky bag was carried over his shoulder.   
  
"Oh, that's right. After that bad head injury, your memory was kinda affected," the young man continued. "We had hoped it wouldn't be permanent."  
  
For the first time in days, a true, radiant smile adorned Gourry's face. "I have a hard time following long conversations and remembering stuff, but I do recall when people have been kind, Elyah! I'm surprised you recognized me. You were much younger. You've grown splendidly."  
  
"Ahem!" Lina interrupted.  
  
"Uh-oh, I'd better introduce you before fireballs fly. This is my wife, Lina Inverse, now Gabrieva."  
  
"THE Lina Inverse? You actually MARRIED her?"  
  
Lina started to turn a dangerous shade of red, but before disaster, i.e., Lina, could fall on the youth, Elyah exclaimed, "Wow, that's so cool! We heard you had incredible adventures, and now I find you have married the world's most famous sorceress!"  
  
The air chilled down to a comfortable temperature.  
  
"Elyah and his grandmother found me almost dead on the battle field, Lina."  
  
"Yeah, Baba and I had been counting supplies in a hidden storage cellar near our house when the battle reached the town." A very sad look crossed Elyah's face. "The rest of my family didn't survive," he added softly, but continued more cheerfully, "My gran'ma used to be a pretty powerful shrine maiden and is still real good at healing. She was doing what she could after the battle when we discovered Master Gourry. His injuries seemed to be healing pretty fast, even before Baba got started on 'em, but he just lay on his bed, face to the wall for a very long time. When a few of his merc friends finally found him, he just sat there dull-eyed and holding the empty hilt of his sword, saying, "I've forgotten what this sword is for. Go away." Yet after that he had a blade inserted in the hilt, and when some nasty leftover bandit scum tried to take what little we had left, Master Gourry suddenly got up with his sword and sent what remained running. I asked him why he said he had forgotten how to use the sword."  
  
As Elyah paused for breath after this torrent of words, Gourry sighed and said, "I answered that I didn't mean I had forgotten how to fight with it, although my fellow mercs interpreted it that way. I had been so caught up with earning my living on my own and with the excitement of fighting side by side with those I thought were great warriors, that I ended up using the Sword in a dirty war where innocents were killed and hurt. Your granny helped me realize having the Sword of Light gave me a duty to live in the moment and protect those I could. She convinced me I couldn't spend my time grieving over what I couldn't change. It was much like the advice my old master of the sword used to give me."  
  
Lina patted her husband's chest and looked about her. "What are you doing around here, Elyah? It's hardly a fit playground for a young one," Lina inquired.  
  
"Oh, I gather old weapons, metal, stuff that can be recycled for money. Most of the other kids don't like to scavenge around here. It's too depressing and scary, but we need the money, and Baba's given me some protection spells against ghosts and such...Hey, you guys hungry? Baba will be awfully glad to see you, Master Gourry."  
  
The couple's eyes lit up.   
  
"Lead on!" cried Lina.  
  
The grandmother was indeed overjoyed to see her former patient in good health and married. Her pale blue eyes sparkled, and her old, rosy cheeks plumped up like apples as she smiled at the couple. A brightly ed, flowered scarf covered her grey hair, wisps of which escaped around her face. Lina noticed the old woman still had her teeth. The sleeves of her peasant blouse were pushed up, and the front of her floor-length, brown, formless jumper and green apron, which reached from the top of her chest to the edge of the embroidery on her jumper, were covered in streaks of flour. She was in the midst of baking potato filled pastries and bread, but welcomed them inside with enthusiasm.  
  
Although her home was sparsely furnished, the smell of healing herbs drying and shelves of books gave it a comfortable feeling. Lina recognized most of the titles dealing with magic and had a very pleasant conversation with the old sorceress. The food was basic, and, while not enough to fill them up, they were satisfied and conscious that if they were their usual gluttonous selves, the boy and woman, given their meager means, would be sorely tried to replenish their stocks. After spending the night and entertaining their hostess and host with the tales of their exploits, Lina and Gourry left the next morning. The joy was back in Gourry's strides, and he seemed more alert. He had come to terms again with the past. Lina smiled at the resumption of their banter as they traveled.  
  
As she made up the bed the couple had occupied, the old woman discovered a small bag of gold coins with a note in a feminine hand that just said "Thank you for saving him."

During their passage through a mountainous forest with immense trees a few weeks later, it seemed to Lina that eyes in the trunks watched them, and she felt very uneasy. Gourry, however, looked about as if he was expecting someone.  
  
"Gourry?"  
  
"I think it's too soon for the Leshy of this forest to be reborn. It's not really spring yet, but I'm not sure. Sometimes he'll take the form of someone you know. You just have to be very careful," he replied.  
  
Suddenly, three swans seemed to emerge from the trunks of three oaks. These changed into three tall, blonde women with wings, which folded and disappeared. They wore long white, diaphanous shifts and seemed to float toward the couple. One was taller than the other two and wore a wreath of flowers. The sorceress blushed and swallowed envy as she noticed their chest assets gently bobbing. At first, they ignored her and began hugging and kissing her husband, who responded in kind.  
  
Lina's anger began to rise, resulting in her starting to ready a Mega Brando. Gourry saved his butt by giving a cry of delight and speaking in the common trade tongue for Lina's benefit, "Auntie Neda, Auntie Dora, and, gods, can it be, Granny Samovila? Is Moma nearby, too?"  
  
"One of those tall, young, gorgeous women is his granny?!" Lina asked herself in amazement.  
  
The women looked expectantly from Gourry to Lina. Grabbing Gourry by a lock of his long hair, Lina pulled his head down to whisper in his ear, "Gourry, I take it was your father's mother that told you with her last breath to be kind to women and children?"  
  
"I said something like that? That last breath thing must have been just me joking around. I probably winked at you, didn't I? This is really the one that said it."

Lina narrowed her eyes and looked more closely at the women. She recalled some of her ethnic studies. "Crap," she thought to herself, "They're the legendary vili, the guardian beings of the Elmekian forests. Aieee! In some parts of the Empire they're rumored to lure men to their deaths, especially those who betray innocent maidens. No wonder Gourry remembered his granny told him to be nice to girls. Wait a minute! Hello. This means Gourry's mother was a vila? Well, that explains the hair, reflexes, beauty and damn good moves in bed." She felt her blood rush to her face as these thoughts raced through her mind.  
  
Meanwhile, standing behind her and putting both his hands on her shoulders, Gourry introduced her to his relatives, who had stood patiently by during the couple's exchange of words, "Granny and Aunties, this is my wife, Lina."  
  
Lina was still in shock at this latest revelation as to her husband's background. "P-p-leased to meet you," she stuttered.  
  
"Ah, the famous little Lina Inverse." As the redhead began to bridle at the 'little', Granny amended, "She's quite an excellent catch, Grandson. Yes, we know who you are, Lina. You are as cute and powerful as we heard. Hmmm. Good hips, too. When are you gonna take that birth control spell off this boy, Dear?" She grinned at the couple.  
  
Lina had basked in the 'cute and powerful,' but her jaw gathered wild flowers when it hit the ground at the audaciousness of Granny's question. While she blushed furiously, she reminded herself, "It wouldn't do to blast Granny to the moon at our first meeting."   
  
To her satisfaction, Gourry yelped, "When we're good and ready, and it isn't now!"  
  
Granny Samovila giggled mischievously, "I may be a vila, but I do like little babies. Revenge for the trouble parents gave as kids is sweet. Besides, it's what I'm supposed to say as an old lady, isn't it?"   
  
"Yeah, right. Except old ladies usually don't look like the center-fold of a pornographic manuscript," Lina snorted to herself.  
  
Gourry quickly tried to change the subject and repeated his earlier question, "How's my mother? I've been worried about her all these years. She's the one who sent me off with the Sword of Light."  
  
Samovila gave a heavy sigh, "She disappeared the same night you did. The trees tell me she still lives, but not where. My heart has been sore many years now, but is eased somewhat by seeing you again." She pinched his cheek playfully, but a small tear traced down her own face at the same time.  
  
"Do you think my brother...?" Gourry started to say as he hugged his grandmother to comfort her.  
  
"You both are part human. Who knows what taint affected him?"  
  
"Hey, now," Lina broke in, "We humans aren't perfect, but not all of us are so bad!"  
  
"Yes, Lina, that is true." Samovila shook her head as if to clear it. "Well, tears are not the welcome you two deserve. Come. Let's feast and be merry. You must tell us your adventures yourself. We've heard such strange things."   
  
Near the kolo [dance] area of the vili, a box of eyes of male malefactors who had the misfortune to stumble onto the dancing of the vili reminded Lina that the beautiful, immortal beings could also be very dangerous. She gave a little shudder. That evening the young couple were given a feast, and the beautiful voices of the vili were lifted in song.   
  
Giving Gourry a narrow bag, Samovila smiled and asked, "Grandson, do you still remember how to play the flute for us?"  
  
"I don't know. It's been a very long time since I've played, but I'll give it a try."  
  
The swordsman removed the pieces of a well polished wooden flute from the bag and fitted them together. Putting it to his lips he ran through a few scales and softly and slowly began to play a dance melody.  
  
The vila nodded and, holding Lina's hand, gathered the other vili to begin a simple circle dance. As the night progressed, Gourry seemed to remember more dance tunes, and the circle dancing became wilder and the footwork more intricate. Lina had to sit down eventually, and some of the vili joined her off and on to speak to her.  
  
In the course of conversations Lina learned more about her husband's family. To her surprise, she discovered Rowdy had not married the elf maid. He had aged much faster than she, and they had grown apart. However, a grandson did take her as his bride, and so there was some elvish blood in the Gabriev family after all.  
  
The vili also revealed Gourry's older brothers and sister were step-siblings. Their mother had died, and the Swordsman of Light had wandered into the woods of the vili. He encountered Neda, Dora, and Gourry's mother, Ivana, bathing in a stream and was entranced by their beauty, especially that of Gourry's mother.   
  
Like Gourry, he had had a mischievous streak not helped by intelligence and stole their robes. It was fortunate for him that they recognized him as the Swordsman of Light and were in a good humor. As a payback, the elder two wanted to invite him to the vili's evening dance, where he would have been caught and suspended in time for many years, but the youngest, Ivana, didn't want to play that trick on him. Her sisters saw the instantaneous love that was developing between the young vila and Swordsman. They adored their youngest sister and would do anything to keep her happy, even if it meant losing her to a mortal. As the eldest managed to snatch her robe from his hands, she whispered in his ear to cover the youngest with his cloak and to hide her robe. Otherwise, she would not be able to stay with him outside the circle of their influence. After a long, laughing struggle for the middle sister's robe, they all went to the Samovila.   
  
She, too, loved her youngest mightily, but reluctantly relinquished her daughter to Gourry's father.  
  
After the dancing and a few glasses of excellent wine, Lina got up the courage to ask, "Do you know anything about an magical Elmekian belt?"  
  
"Oho, you ARE thinking about children after all!" Granny chuckled.  
  
"No, no, no!" the couple yelled. "We investigating it for friends," Lina hastily added.  
  
Aunt Dora informed them, "It disappeared with Gourry's mother."

Lina gave herself a mental slap and realized, "So that's how Jelly-fish knew about the belt. I wondered."  
  
"Well, I guess we have two reasons now to hunt for the belt," Lina said out loud.  
  
"You changed your mind about having kids?" Gourry asked incredulously as he disassembled, cleaned and put away the flute.  
  
"Gods, no!" Lina roared as her head enlarged and her fangs appeared. A gloved fist lowered the unfortunate man to the floor. "We're going to search for your mother as well, Idiot!"  
  
Samovila hastily interjected, "As to where to look, probably far north is best. South is the desert where no trees grow. We vili cannot live long without them, and if she had been taken there unwillingly, she would have perished. We know she is still alive. The vili and rusalki of the farther north have hinted she is somewhere there, but they are more aligned with Darkness than we. To my sorrow, my daughters of those far reaches are more about revenge than protection. To fill their ranks, they capture the spirits of women betrayed by lovers. Our communications are rather strained.  
  
"Then further north we shall go." Lina confirmed and elbowed her husband awake.  
  
"I think we should travel farther north, Lina," Gourry sleepily muttered.  
  
"Grrrr! Jellyfish-brains!

As they journeyed northward, Lina tried to convince her husband that they would have to visit the rest of his family after all in order to discover the fate of his mother and the Belt.   
  
"You know, Dear, we could disguise ourselves so none of your family would recognize you," Lina batted her eyelashes innocently at him.  
  
"Nuh-uh. Nope. I'm not letting you 'drag' me to my family's home! Gods!" he protested as he back-pedaled away from the sorceress.  
  
Lina started to run after him, when a strange sight met her eyes. Standing in what seemed a giant mortar and holding an equally large pestle, a wizened old lady with a brightly ed kerchief on her head suddenly floated down before them.  
  
"Baba Yaga!" yelled Gourry, and his hand flew to the hilt of his sword.  
  
The old lady squinted at the two and exclaimed in Elmekian, "Ah, there you are, my golden Knight of the Day, but what is the fiery red Knight of Evening doing with you? And where are your horses, you naughty boys?"  
  
Before Lina could fire off a spell, Baba Yaga gestured and the couple found themselves frozen, crammed in the mortar with the witch, and flying away.  
  
As she paddled with the pestle, Baba Yaga muttered, "First I lose my spectacles, and then two of my Knights lose their horses and play hide and seek with me. You boys are gonna be sorry!"  
  
Immobilized with the spell the witch had put on the couple, Gourry was rigidly holding on to the sides of the mortar. Lina had picked up enough Elmekian by then to cause her to gnash her teeth and be frustrated at being taken for a boy yet again. Suddenly she noticed something flashing on the top of Baba Yaga's head.   
  
"Uh, Lady, what's that on top of your kerchief?"  
  
"Eh? Oh, my glasses!" exclaimed the delighted witch as she pulled them off the top of her head. She put them on and blinked. "Ooo, Blondie, you're even cuter than my Knight of the Day. I think I'll give him a little vacation. Sorry, Red, I don't need a girl servant right now. Besides which, you're too scrawny to eat." And she pushed Lina out of the mortar and flew off.  
  
Lina gave a yelp of surprise and cast levitation, the witch's spell having dissipated once she pushed Lina out of the mortar. Gathering her breath quickly and shouting "Ray Wing!" she discretely followed the speeding mortar to the stockade of Baba Yaga. The stockade made her grimace as skulls with fiery eye sockets lined the top of it, but the sight of the house made Lina's eyes glow as well. It was situated on the biggest chicken legs Lina had ever laid eyes on. True, they still hopped around and needed de-feathering, and there was that matter of a highly intricately carved house on the top of them. But a nice big fireball would help take care of that.  
  
As she hovered above, she noticed a handsome, blond man in shorts, sunglasses, and Hawaiian shirt happily speeding out the stockade gate. Gourry, still immobilized by the spell, was getting outfitted in golden and white armor by Baba Yaga, who was explaining the route he should take in the morning.   
  
"That's a big mistake," Lina giggled. "She'll be lucky ol' Mister Can't Find the Way Out of a Box With a Map ever returns."   
  
Leaving the swordsman still as a statue, the old witch again mounted her mortar and flew away.  
  
Lina's growling stomach told her to take care of those chicken legs first. The aromatic burning house roasted them quite tastily. Lina felt great satisfaction as she picked chicken bits out of her teeth. With Gourry unable to move, she had had the big treat all to herself.  
  
It was unfortunate, however, that Lina's meal wasted too much time. The shock Baba Yaga felt at seeing the destruction of her home and guardian lasted only long enough for Lina to cast Flow Break on Gourry and scoop him up to Ray Wing away.  
  
Baba Yaga jumped in her weird transport and screeched after them "Come back here, you little..." All of a sudden, though, she stopped and began laughing her head off. She had realized Lina's Flow Break spell had cancelled more than her own spell. From what she sensed, revenge could be nine months in coming.

To be continued...

(More action next time as well as Zelgadis and Amelia.)

Yes, quite a few may consider there is massive OOCness going on. Blame it on wanting to take characters beyond the stereotypes and what we see officially because they're so loved. In the fifth episode of the Super Explosive Demon Story, I was intrigued by Grize saying he had heard Gourry was worthless and that Gourry had forgotten how to fight. That episode of the manga made Gourry less the cheerful, clueless sidekick and more a man with depth and history who could stand on his own if ever Kanzaka chose to deal with dark spots of Gourry's past more fully. Lacking anything canon I came up with this explanation.  
  
I like to play with mythologies and folklore, being an international folkdancer until my knees gave out. This time I went for the Slavic because of the pseudo-Slavic last name of Gourry, '-iev' being a common ending to Eastern European surnames. It means basicly 'a male of the family of...' (Female ending would be '-ieva'.) For a better use of Slavic folklore in fiction, try reading the science fiction writer C. J. Cherryh's RUSALKA.  
  
I thought a flute would be appropriate for a traveling swordsman to know how to play and perhaps later carry as it can be disassembled easily or even used as a weapon. I remember being told in an ethnomusicology long ago that the Japanese warriors did that with the shakuhachi. The New Grove Dictionary also mentions that the Satsuma warriors of 16th century southern Japan carried a flute type instrument called a tenpuku.


	3. Kin and Kind, Part 3

Kin & Kind, Part 3   
  
To her dismay, Lina found she had forgotten about the birth control spell she had put on Gourry at the time she cast Flow Break on him to release him from Baba Yaga's immobilization spell. When she found she could no longer dependably cast any of her black magic spells, Gourry was safe from her casting those at him, but not from her temper. Although midwifery magics were a basic part of every traveling sorceress' training, she could have done some about her missed 'time of month' once the panic wore off. However, she thought hard about her pregnancy and talked it over with Gourry, once he regained consciousness from the impact of her fists.   
  
"Lina, should I be happy or upset?" he asked her fearfully as he lay on the ground, propped up by his elbows.  
  
"Well, I've had enough adventure to fill many lifetimes, and I'm old enough now for the adventure of parenthood, I guess." Cupping his face in her hands, she looked him in his eyes and seriously continued, "Besides, I've realized that, if we continue on as we have been, either one of us could die at any time. A child would give the remaining person something of the other and a reason to carry on."   
  
"Oh, Lina," he replied wistfully, "I would be so happy to be a dad, but could you hunt bandits or find enough treasure to provide for a child, if left alone? Without a permanent home, how could a kid be schooled?" His next words were spoken like the true strategist he could be when need arose. "Most importantly, what about a child being a vulnerable point for an enemy to use against you?"   
  
"I am planning that there will be you and me to provide as long as we can," she said with firm conviction. "With my great sorcery knowledge and superb teaching skills (don't give me that look), I know I can educate our offspring while we're on the road. You can train the kid in the military arts, and I can provide the magic training, if the sprout has any talent in either of those areas. When we go on dangerous missions, we can leave the tot with Filia or even possibly Martina or Amelia.  
  
Gourry's answer was a careful hug and a deep kiss.  
  
"So I take it, you're pleased about this 'development'?" Lina grinned as they broke for air.   
  
Gourry replied with an even bigger grin. "Well, now I don't have to worry about you asking me to get supplies for 'that time of the month' for a while!"  
  
"Grrr! You're darn lucky the kid should have two parents!"  
  
Lina's thoughts of potential morning sickness made Gourry's arguments persuasive for returning to Seyruun, rather than continuing to travel in the Elmekian Empire. The search for Gourry's mother and the Fertility Belt could continue later, especially as the latter obviously wasn't needed.  
  
After a while, Lina sensed something wasn't right with her spouse. Outwardly Gourry seemed fine, marching along on those fine long legs of his, making his usual stupid remarks, teasing, and laughing. Then she noticed a change in his usually serene eyes. They had a touch of discomfort to them, and his lips at times seemed tighter. At one town, he disappeared for a while and came back to where they were staying with distress plainly in his eyes.  
  
"Where the blazes have you been, Jellyfish? This meal needs you to pay for it," she growled at him.   
  
"I've been having tummy problems lately, and I went to see if a healer would have anything to help."  
  
"So what did she or he say?"  
  
"I'm having sympathy pregnancy reactions! Lina, I, I want to puke when I see food!"  
  
Lina could only roll on the ground with laughter, because, so far, morning sickness rarely caught up with her, and she still ate like a famished lioness. "Boy, we really ARE connected, whether we want to be or not!" she roared in her merriment.  
  
Half way to the white magic capital they literally ran into Amelia and Zelgadis (especially ouch!), who were returning from a diplomatic mission. Gourry wanted to inform them right away about the expected addition to the Gabriev clan.  
  
"How was the success of your trip? Did you find out who sent the assassin?" Amelia queried.  
  
"Guess what?" Gourry began with bright-eyed joy illuminating his face, but Lina surreptitiously pinched his butt and gave him warning look.   
  
"What, Gourry?" asked Zelgadis.  
  
"Uh, we found Gourry's grandmother and she's a vila!" Lina quickly interjected.  
  
"She's a house?" Amelia said with great puzzlement in her voice.  
  
Lina gave her an exasperated look, "Gods, Gourry, she's picked up stupidity from you," she grumbled.  
  
"Hey, now, Lina..." the swordsman and princess began but were cut off by Lina's explaining to Amelia what a vila was. Amelia's and Zel's eyes grew large as they realized what that meant about their tall, blond friend.  
  
Before they could make any comment, Lina suddenly shouted, "Look, an all you care to eat for a silver piece restaurant!" and dove into the establishment. Although looking a smidgeon green about the gills, so to speak, Gourry quickly followed her. Zelgadis and Amelia would have to wait to hear about the Gabrievs' further adventures.  
  
That evening as Lina and Gourry lay in each other's arms in their room, Gourry plaintively asked, "Why didn't you want me to tell them about our baby?"  
  
"Until it's too obvious, I don't want Amelia fussing over me. You know she'll be telling me I can't do this and I can't do that because it might be 'unjust' to the baby. She'll probably drive me nuts when I do show enough for her to notice."  
  
"Oh, this is sorta like when we decided not to tell her we were getting married until we reached Seyruun?"  
  
"Yeah, exactly," Lina answered as she nuzzled into his collarbone with a happy sigh.  
  
After a breakfast where Amelia and Zelgadis were surprised at Gourry's lack of attack on Lina's share, the four resumed their journey to Amelia's home. It was a brisk, sunny day with the usual chirping of birds and princess. Amelia recounted Zel's and her experiences on her latest diplomatic mission, an offering of congratulations to Queen Martina and King Zangulus on the birth of yet another young prince. Opening his mouth, Gourry looked at Lina. Lina glared. Gourry shut his mouth. It was fortunate Amelia had tripped over a branch at that moment and that Zel's attention was on her. Otherwise, they might have noticed and become curious at the Gabrievs' silent exchange. On the other hand, it was unfortunate that a large gang of bandits also decided to attack the foursome the very next moment. Even more unfortunate was the discovery that there were a sorcerer, trolls, and a few low level monsters in the band.  
  
Amelia started to cast an Elmekian Lance at one of the monsters. Nothing happened. "SHIT!" exploded the expletive from the princess.  
  
"Princess?!" Zelgadis questioned with a raised eyebrow as he sliced through three bandits. "Ai-yuh! [another bandit sliced and diced] You kiss your father with that mouth?"  
  
"Who the hell you think taught me? [She ducked a sword blade's swing and clutched Zel's cape.] That 'time of the month' has come early!" she wailed.  
  
Shaking his head at this hidden side of the otherwise cloying royal family, Zel went back to hacking and casting. He was using Astral Vine on his sword to vanquish one of the monsters, when a large hand suddenly grabbed the princess' neck from behind and tore her away from the chimera. A giant bandit squeezed the struggling Amelia's throat and laughingly growled as he sped into the woods, "Well, little lady, let's see what you're made of." He started to rip the front of Amelia's tunic off her. Finishing off the monster in front of him, Zel turned to give chase, but found himself immobilized by a Shadow Snap.  
  
A blade flew passed him and embedded itself in the eye and brain of the fleeing bandit, who had heard Zel give a yelp of surprise and anger and had looked back as he tried to escape with Amelia in his grasp. Gourry had flung one of the knives he had started to keep in his boots when he was swordless after the Dark Star affair. At the same time, Lina cast Lighting and broke the Shadow Snap. Zel ran to the now unconscious Amelia and stood over her to protect her.  
  
At the beginning of the fight, Lina had fumed at not being able to rely on her old stand-by black magic spells. "Now Amelia will guess what's up with us," she complained to herself as she whacked a bandit into the stratosphere with one hand and skewered another with the short sword in the other hand. Flipping and skipping around the trolls and touching them, she called to Gourry and settled a protective shield over herself, "Hey, Gourry! The trolls have been blessed!"   
  
He flipped out of the way as the sorcerer, having cast the Shadow Snap, then fired a Freeze Arrow at him. At the same time, the monster directly opposite the sorcerer threw a Flare Arrow. The two spells missed Gourry and collided with each other, which, of course, cancelled them out. The two malefactors made the mistake of being too close to each other, for, while they glared at each other, Gourry quickly sent them to Hellmaster's old domain with one slice of the Blast Blade.  
  
Rolling under a swing by one of the trolls, he saw the trouble Amelia and Zel were in, and in a flash the knife in his left boot flew to slay the giant bandit choking the life out of Amelia. Continuing his roll, Gourry sprang to a crouch and cut through the middle of a troll, who immediately started to fall apart. He heard Lina's shouted "Lighting," which released Zelgadis from the Shadow Snap. "Lina, keep your shield up!" he yelled. "You should take it easy, you know!"  
  
"Shut up, Jellyfish!" she rejoined over the din of slaughter, "My shamanistic spells are stronger than they were before!" She proved her point as she slammed a hand to earth and shouted, "Dug Haut!" Stony spikes rose to impale bandits and trolls. "Wow, those are even bigger spikes than Zel's," she marveled and warned, "No off-colored remarks, Hentai!"

As Gourry's sword blade flashed about him, he started to make his way back to Lina's side. To his horror, he saw a bandit had escaped the spikes and was sneaking up with a mace behind Lina. He couldn't reach her quickly enough, because the great spikes in his way took longer to return to earth than usual. The knife in his other boot flashed and found its mark.  
  
"Idiot! You took a lock of my hair off!" Lina screeched, and she sank down to the ground in a sitting position.  
  
Gourry did not answer, as by this time he was engaged in a sword fight with a bandit who actually was a challenge. All but this particular bandit were broken, roasted, toasted, disintegrated, vaporized, or otherwise dispatched.  
  
With an unconscious Amelia in his arms Zel emerged from the carnage to where Gourry and his opponent were dueling.   
  
"Ah, Zel, there you are. Is Amelia alright?" Gourry called out between thrusts, strokes, and parries. "Um, gotta end this now, fella." Reversing his sword, the blond struck the bandit in the stomach and, stepping behind him, applied pressure with his finger to the man's neck. The bandit promptly collapsed. "There's enough blood here already," he shrugged and muttered to himself before asking, "Lina, are you ok?"  
  
"Sure thing, Love. Not a scratch on me, and, except for a lock of hair someone playing with knives cut away, not a hair of my head out of place," the sorceress reassured him. "How about you?"  
  
"Well, I'm feeling pretty tired." He crossed his ankles and lowered himself to a sitting position. He sheathed the Blast Blade and rubbed his left shoulder and upper arm with his right hand.  
  
"Are you hurt?" Lina worriedly inquired.  
  
"Nah, my left shoulder and arm just ache a little. I musta strained 'em during the fight. You better help Zel with Amelia."  
  
"You sure?"  
  
"Yup. Your healing ability is probably greater now, too. See to Amelia. I'll just nap a little. Oh, and you'd better tie up that guy I just knocked out. Who knows how long he'll be zonked. And Lina?"   
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I love you."  
  
"I know. Love you, too. Now I'd better take a look at Amelia before Zel gags on all the bad romance we're serving up," Lina joked.  
  
Gourry's head nodded, and his eyes closed. Lina walked over to where Zel was carefully laying Amelia on the ground. The sorceress examined the princess.  
  
"Let me take care of those bruises on her neck, Zel, while you fetch some water to sponge her face."  
  
"She will be alright, won't she?"  
  
"Sure. You know how tough she truly is. She's a real princess, not some wuss who gets bruised just by sleeping on a pea under a dozen mattresses."  
  
Lina held her hands over Amelia's throat, and the markings disappeared. Bathing Amelia's face and neck finally brought the princess awake.  
  
"Oh, Ms. Lina, I'm so sorry I was out of commission just when I was needed, because of, you know. Is everyone safe?"  
  
"Of course. Right, Gourry? Gourry? Heh, the jellyfish wore himself out and is napping. You know him. He can sleep anywhere at anytime."  
  
"I think we all could use some rest," Zel advised. "Let's stop at the closest inn and not go any farther today."  
  
"Come on, Mister Sleepyhead. Time to wake up. We're gonna find a cleaner place than this to recover," Lina yelled and shook the slumped over swordsman. There was no response. He just fell over. "Damn it, Gourry, we're not going to carry you!" she warned and brushed the hair out of his face. Her breath caught as she saw how very, very pale his skin was. "Gourry?!" she whispered in barely controlled panic and shook him harder. "Where's that wet handkerchief we used on Amelia?!" Zel handed it to her, and she frantically bathed his face.   
  
Amelia felt for Gourry's pulse at his wrist. She readjusted her hold several times, and then tried feeling for the pulse at his neck. She turned pale herself, and tears started to fall from her large, azure eyes. "Ms. L-L-Lina, I'm sorry. He's, he's... gone, even though he has no wounds, physical or magical. His noble, loving heart has just stopped beating! And I can't even cast Resurrection right now!" she sobbed.  
  
"It might have been too late, Amelia, even if you could cast it. There's just a little warmth left in his body. We don't know how long ago he left us," Zel tried to comfort her.  
  
Amelia cringed, as she knew the effect Zel's words would have on Lina. She bawled even harder, "If only I hadn't been so vulnerable! It's my fault you guys had to take time to revive me. If I hadn't been unconscious, you might have noticed Mr. Gourry's condition in time."  
  
Lina sat with Gourry's head in her lap and clasped his right hand. She just said calmly with empty eyes, "No. This can't be. After all we've been through, the Lord of Nightmares surely can't mean to part us now. And I can't believe someone whose mother is immortal could wear out so soon!" She shook her head slowly in denial and then turned to the princess. "Amelia, if you're going to blame someone, blame the Mother of All for giving women 'that time of the month,' not yourself! That's just plain wrong! Gourry will be upset to hear you take on such a false burden. I should have realized by now that, if he said he was ok, to check him out myself." Then she pleaded, "Do you have a mirror on you? I want to check for breath. I just cannot accept he is gone."  
  
Still sobbing, Amelia took the little travel mirror from her pouch and gave it to Lina. Zel exchanged a sad look with the dark-haired girl as Lina held the mirror under Gourry's nose for several minutes. Nothing.  
  
Handing Amelia back the mirror, Lina gave a deep, quavering sigh, "Here. I-I-I need to use the bushes." Brushing back his unruly blond bangs, She kissed her husband's pale, cold forehead. "Later, Dear."  
  
"Do you think I should follow her?" Amelia questioned Zelgadis.  
  
"It might be a good idea, although Lina is one of the strongest people I know, like a certain princess."  
  
Amelia blushed and followed after a barely aware Lina. She heard the redhead fall to her knees. Pushing aside some taller bushes, Amelia came upon Lina screaming into a handkerchief stuffed in her mouth, tears streaming and dripping on the ground. Silently Amelia approached her friend, knelt, and embraced her as the sorceress clutched her own arms about her body and leaned her wet face upon Amelia's soft left shoulder. Stunned at the falling of Lina's tough facade, Amelia said nothing but just held on to the widow and comfortingly rocked with her.  
  
"Thanks, Amelia," Lina solemnly spoke after a while. She wiped her face and eyes and blew her nose repeatedly as she sat back on her heels.  
  
"You have to let the grief out. It's only just. Don't let anyone tell you differently."  
  
"I just can't believe he'd up and die so quietly like that. One of those bandits must have poisoned, cursed or done something like that to him!" Lina growled and clenched her fists.  
  
"Do you think one might have been another assassin out to destroy him? We meet bandit gangs so often, it's hard to tell," Amelia questioned.  
  
"Too bad we killed most of them. We'll have to in-terror-gate that guy Gourry knocked out," Lina coldly stated.  
  
"Don't you mean interrogate?"  
  
Lina cracked her knuckles and spat out, "No, I mean in-terror-gate." Her fierce expression changed to one of woe as she then changed subject. "You're still a shrine maiden/priestess, aren't you?"  
  
"Yes, although I don't practice much, only when royal duties require."  
  
"I'm afraid, Priestess, your services are n-n-needed n-n-n-ow," Lina stuttered, trying not to break down again. "It wasn't often obvious, but Gourry was a little bit religious. He sometimes crossed himself in the names of the earth, fire, water, and wind dragons. He couldn't stand the worshipers of monsters."   
  
"Let's return then and prepare for the rites," Amelia softly suggested.  
  
Meanwhile, Zel had sorrowfully laid out his friend's body. He looked up as the women returned. His hood and mask were in place, and he refused to face the women. As he turned away from them, they noticed, however, that the mask had large damp spots under each eye.  
  
Lina brusquely announced, "Alright then. We must ready Gourry for his final voyage to the Sea of Chaos. Then we'll question the remaining bandit." She cracked her knuckles.  
  
"Ahmmm, I afraid that won't be possible. It seems he's died from sort of poison he had hidden on him somewhere," Zel admitted.  
  
"Damnit!" Lina exploded and punched over a tree. "Now we'll never know if this attack was a set-up to assassinate Gourry!"  
  
Given the dangers of their livelihood and his pragmatism, Gourry had long ago discussed with Lina how he wanted his body disposed of. It was to be in the traditional way of his family. Like Gourry himself, it was a practical and unadorned method. If possible, the dead were laid in a small boat and sent down a river. In essence they were donated to the elements and creatures of the wild. He had called it "gratefully giving back to nature in death for the things nature had given him in life." He then had joked, "My hair would probably be of most use to the birds. If you walk through the woods, you'll probably see many golden nests keeping a lot of little birdies warm."   
  
And so with the help of magic, a small boat was built, and Gourry was laid to rest in his wedding attire, his hair flowing around him and his strong, slender hands crossed on his breast. He had told Lina to not be wasteful by leaving sword and armor on his body when he died, but either keep, sell or give them away. Thus, they joined the bundle that contained the small details of his life.   
  
Lina lovingly caressed his cold cheeks and smoothed back his hair from his eyes for a last time. She suddenly took out her dagger and raised the blade sideways towards herself.   
  
"Ms. Lina!" Amelia exclaimed and grabbed Lina's wrist.  
  
Zelgadis clutched Lina's other wrist and scolded, "Lina, what in the names of the gods do you think Gourry's sacrifice was for?!" Zelgadis further admonished her. "He spent out his life so you could live! And he died in the way a warrior could wish, victorious in protecting the one he loved. It was the best way for him. That's stating the obvious, isn't it? I should be so lucky! Please don't invalidate his life's sacrifice!"  
  
"Relax, guys," remonstrated Lina, as a tear traced its way down her face, "I only want to cut a lock of my hair to place in his hands to remind him of me in his journey and a lock of his hair to keep with me."  
  
"Oh," Amelia responded weakly, but she stayed close to her friend as the sorceress cut off locks of hers and Gourry's hair. The princess and chimera didn't end their vigilance until Lina sheathed the knife and put away Gourry's lock of hair inside her tunic and next to her heart.  
  
Amelia made the sign of the four elements over his body, and Zelgadis pushed the small vessel into the river. As the mournful little boat floated away down the river, the setting sun reflected so brilliantly off Gourry's hair that it seemed he and the boat were consumed by light. Amelia chanted prayers as Lina stood stiffly and and tried to keep from sinking in sobs to her knees. On a small boulder Zelgadis sat with his back to it all, head down. The 'cold-hearted' sorcerer wiped his eyes now and again. After completing her prayers and rituals, Amelia bent down beside him and put a hand on his shoulder, "Mr. Zelgadis?"  
  
"Amelia, he was my best male friend. Zolf and Rodimus were dear, loyal retainers to my parents and me, but Gourry was different. He was something I never had before: a PAL. He just was, despite knowing me only as a chimera. Yes, at times I was jealous of him for his good looks, strength, and skills. I've said some unkind things about him. But the big dope never noticed and liked me just the same."   
  
"He put up with a lot of our foibles, didn't he? He always followed along cheerfully," Amelia responded, thinking of the Peace Men and the sea and lake dragons.   
  
Zel arose and carried the bundle of Gourry's effects as they slowly walked away from the large river. Lina clasped the Blast Blade in its special sheath close to her chest as Amelia walked next to her with one of her arms around Lina's waist. Lina looked back, and, as she thought of his body slowly being taken apart by fish, birds, and the elements, she muttered softly, "Gourry..." Lina shook her head as if to clear it and shuddered, "Yes. I'll live. There's still a future I must see. Thank you, my Jellyfish." In response, she heard what she thought was a voice saying, "Good!" Amelia and Zelgadis did not appear to have heard anything, and Lina chalked it up to delusions caused by extreme grief.  
  
That night Amelia put a sleep spell on her. In the morning Lina awoke, ate what for anyone else was a normal breakfast, but later threw up her 'meager' meal in the bushes as they walked to Seyruun.  
  
"Ms. Lina...?!" Amelia began to inquire fearfully.  
  
Lina wiped her mouth. With a grin that didn't quite reach her eyes, she declared, "I haven't had time to tell you before but: Victory!" And she burst into tears while raising her fingers of her right hand in the 'V' sign.   
  
"Wonderful! Oh, Ms. Lina, there is some happiness in store for you after all!" cried Amelia.   
  
A worried Zelgadis just said "Huh?"   
  
"She's pregnant with Gourry's child!" exclaimed Amelia, hopping up and down in excitement.   
  
Zel blushed, and a small smile formed on his face. "Excellent. At least we'll have a little someone to remind us of him. The gods have given you a blessing and another reason for living. Congratulations, Lina."  
  
Lina then realized, yes, in a way Gourry would live on. Her face took on a glow as she lightly held her abdomen and thought perhaps here, indeed, was yet another new flower whose name she did not know.   
  
To be continued...  
  
It's an irony that the word 'Rus,' which was the name given to the Nordic invaders, i.e., the Vikings, became the name of the country they settled in, Russia. Thus Gourry's funeral has a touch of the Nordic to it, even though I have been loosely playing with Slavic folklore. Due to further plot developments, heh, heh, the boat wasn't buried or set afire. ;-D  
  
Gourry's having sympathy morning sickness is a little bow to Sharlene, aka Mynuet. She used it in an as-of-this-writing unfinished fanfic. It amused me enough to want to incorporate it here.


	4. Kin and Kind, Part 4

Kin & Kind, Part 4  
  
After a brief sojourn in Seyruun to be comforted in her mourning by people and things familiar, Lina decided that Gourry's family had to know his fate and that she should leave. She could take only so much of Phil's sympathetic tears and hugs for "the poor, young, defenseless widow", never mind said "poor, young, defenseless widow" could destroy all of Seyruun with a single spell. Zelgadis decided to forgo his quest for 'normalcy' long enough to accompany her now morning-sickened, puking self to the Gabriev stronghold. Amelia persuaded her father that she should accompany the two as a diplomat to offer official Seyruun condolences to an important Elmekian family. She also wanted to make sure Lina took care of herself for the baby's sake.   
  
Various bandit, troll, and lesser mazoku attacks along the way confirmed yet again the capriciousness of Lina's black magic. But the strengthening of her ability to cast white and shamanistic magic, especially that for earth and water, compensated for it. Her Ra Tilt seemed stronger than even Zelgadis'. A little study in the royal palace's library revealed that the strengthening remained after each successive birth a sorceress had. "Now I know why Carrie had all those daughters," Lina said to Amelia.   
  
From their past travels in the Empire, she had discovered knowledge of the common trade tongue was limited there. Going through Gourry's meager possessions after his death, Lina found an Elmekian/common trade tongue dictionary. She belatedly realized that despite having no accent and having a seemingly good idiomatic command of the CTT, perhaps some of his perceived stupidity was a well-masked lack of understanding of a language that was secondary to him. She was glad she had picked up quite a bit of Elmekian in their previous traveling, as it relieved some of the tension and distrust from the long-haired check-point guards she came across as she, Amelia, and Zelgadis made their journey through the Empire.   
  
The reception at the Gabriev manor was very disturbing. As they entered the main hall of the castle, they noticed tapestries depicting the various exploits of the Gabrievs. The servant leading them in explained that one of the newest looking tapestries was of Gourry's father and family. On one side of the tall, red-haired man was a medium sized brunette accompanied by two young men, one with brown hair and one with red hair. A young, dark-haired woman also stood with them. On the other side of the former Swordsman of Light stood a tall, blonde woman. Next to her was a patch where the tapestry was woven over but failed to conceal completely the fact another figure had once stood next to her.  
  
Yourry, the last direct male heir remaining in the Gabriev line, sat on a dais at the end of the hall. Gourry had always dressed simply. His long, golden tresses made up his only adornment. His half-brother, however, was quite the opposite. His outer robe was dark red and gold brocade and lined with honey-colored mink. It was opened to reveal a gold brocade vest underneath, the edges of which were also fur-lined. The floor length gown under that was a heavy green silk richly and intricately embroidered. Every finger had a ring, and a heavy gold chain hung around his neck. On the chain was a medallion with a blazing Sword of Light pictured on it. His black leather boots were embossed with golden, jewel-eyed dragons fighting golden monsters. To make sure no one mistook his rank, he had a gold coronet resting over his long brown hair. The beard lining his jaw line and chin and his mustache were immaculately trimmed and brushed.  
  
When her tale of Gourry's death had been told and Amelia had expressed her kingdom's gratitude for Gourry's services to it along with sincere condolences for his loss, Yourry, lounging across his throne, just snorted and sneered, "Idiot had it coming. He stole my Sword of Light! Now I am supposing as his widow, Lina, you want from me support." The unmarried baron cast an appreciative glance at Amelia's figure, and in an oily tone added, "Your Highness, most welcome are you to stay as long as you wish. I would learn more of your Seyruun."  
  
Lina replied frostily, "We'll be leaving in the morning." Thinking how much better Gourry's command had been of the CTT, she turned to stomp out of the hall, barely controlling an impulse to cast a nasty shamanistic spell at him.   
  
"Humpf! At least join us at dinner," Yourry grumpily offered and stood up to leave as well. Amelia and Lina noticed he was shorter than Gourry. Much, much shorter. Amelia had to pinch Lina to keep the older sorceress from giggling. The artists of the tapestry had taken considerable artistic license.  
  
Food, as always, made up for lack of civility with Lina, although whether it would stay down later on was in question at that point in her pregnancy. It was fortunate that she hadn't much appetite to begin with, although she was beginning to have a craving for prunes.   
  
When she and Amelia joined the family and baronial household at dinner, she was also somewhat mollified to see most were in some form of mourning dress. However, death in the family didn't prevent a couple young boys from having a merry belching contest after dinner. It almost made her burst into tears as she remembered one she had had with Gourry.   
  
They had happened upon a spring of naturally carbonated water and had drunk from it copiously. She had started the contest by assuming a prissy look, hands clasped in front of her, pursing her lips cutely and blinking her eyes innocently before letting out an eruption so horrendous it almost knocked her companion over. Gourry had responded in kind, and so it escalated. They had laughed so hard at one point, she had thought her stomach would go through her backbone from lack of air in her body.   
  
Now here in the stronghold of the Gabrievs Lina sadly reflected on how barriers of good breeding could be dropped and absurd fun could be had with the intimacy born of close friendship or love. Oh, how she missed the intimacy of truly being herself with Gourry, who had loved her no matter how she acted! She excused herself from the table to find a quiet spot to gather herself together again. She stood in an alcove nearby, but out of sight of everyone, and took a few deep breaths. At that moment, she suddenly had the feeling of being watched, but it wasn't hostile. It almost seemed like a caress. Her eyes searched but saw no peepholes or portraits that could hide peepholes. To her surprise, she didn't feel worried, but almost cheerful. In a better frame of mind she returned to the dining hall.  
  
After dinner, Gourry's half-sister, Magda, invited Lina and Amelia to her bower for tea. She was, indeed, the dark-haired daughter in the tapestry, which had not done her cold, chiseled beauty justice. After the pouring and diluting of strong tea with the hot water from an ornate samovar and engaging in small talk, Magda proceeded to grill Lina further on the details of her half-brother's demise. Lina found it very painful but was curious that the woman insisted on knowing whether there was the possibility of an assassin's involvement. A strange light was in Magda's green eyes. Seemingly satisfied, she then insisted that the two women stay in her wing of the manor. "Lina, my dolt of a brother should have offered more hospitality than just a meal. The idea of your having to find a room in an inn tonight when you're family! And to neglect a royal princess on a mission of compassion as well!"  
  
"I'm sure deep-seated sorrow caused him to be unjust to us," Amelia answered.  
  
"Unjust? Humph! No hidden sorrow about him! I suspect he even sent an assassin after Gourry to make sure he didn't return to claim the barony," scoffed Magda.  
  
"Yes, I've wondered about that myself," Lina declared, "But we need evidence or an admission from him."  
  
"There have also been some suspicious deaths of other male relatives. If both of you stay here longer at my invitation, perhaps we can finally discover the truth," Magda mused and continued, "This is the first time I have been home since Father died and I married. My husband, too, died a short while ago. I had to get away from painful memories of him for a while and returned here. Would you believe even I had to beg my brother to allow me to have rooms of my own while I recover from my grief? And as you can see, they are not in the best of condition."  
  
It was true. The walls were cracked and the door to the room hung from the frame a little crookedly. The furniture was rickety and scratched, except for a large gilt mirror with a golden swan at the top. Even Lina had the diplomatic sense not to comment on the discrepancy, but murmured, "Oh, I'm truly sorry you have equal sorrow to bear." She reached for the other woman's hand as Amelia also said "Oh how unfair that your poor family should have two such horrible blows at the same time!"  
  
The woman appeared not to notice Lina's sympathetic gesture, but just folded her hands in her lap and looked down.   
  
"Thank you, your Highness and dear Lina. Enough of my complaining. You must be tired after so long a journey and so emotional a trial." She turned to an elderly woman who had sat quietly embroidering by the fire. "Auntie Olga, could you please show Lina and the Princess to their room?" Magda requested.  
  
"I'd be delighted to," replied the thin, eloquent woman as she laid aside her embroidery and stood.   
  
At introductions during dinner Lina had learned Auntie Olga was a sister of Gourry's father. In conversation with the woman, while getting settled in her and Amelia's room, Lina soon found out Olga wasn't terribly fond of her brother's first wife or her children, but was making due with the situation of living under the same roof as they.  
  
"The first wife was cruel, frivolous, and vain. She fell asleep after drinking too much brandy and drowned in a milk bath. In contrast, Gourry's own mother was a lovely woman, something more than human, I think. A vila from our mountain forests, we suspect. She was tall, and Gourry inherited her gorgeous blonde hair. She did what she could to help those in need in the barony, whether with gold or her own two hands. Be that as it may, whatever she was, she produced a sweet, handsome son."  
  
Lina kept her mouth shut about the vili and gave Amelia a surreptitious warning tap on the princess' foot with her own. She then asked, "What happened to her?"   
  
"After Kiril, Gourry's father, died, Ivana disappeared at the same time Gourry did with the Sword of Light."   
  
"Please tell me, why did he leave here with the Sword of Light?" Lina knew, but wanted to hear the family's take on it, especially after seeing the defaced tapestry.  
  
Olga sighed and went on, "When Gourry was sixteen, his father died. Knowing the boy, I believe he was fearful of what his half-brothers or some of his uncles would do with the power of the Sword of Light. He had a deep love of family, no matter the flaws of the individuals in it, but he wasn't blind to the trouble they could cause both within and without the family. After a knife fight between his stepbrothers over the Sword in which one of his uncles was seriously injured, he just disappeared with it. A vengeful Yourry ordered all mention and depiction of Gourry removed. You are the first to give us news first-hand of him since then."   
  
Closing her eyes, Olga put her pale, long-fingered hand on Lina's belly and said "Gourry still lives in you. But you had better leave as soon as possible. When his brother learns you are pregnant, you and the child may 'meet with a sad accident', if you remain at his court." Seeing Lina's look of amazement that she had divined Lina's condition, although it wasn't visually apparent yet, she smiled, "I am a white magic sorceress, dear girl. True Gabriev women usually are." She paused and added, "Although Magda also should be, there's something strange about her now. I can't divine what. It's as if a sort of curtain is about her...Ah, probably just an old woman's powers diminishing. Sleep well, my dears." She smiled at them and left.  
  
The two friends looked at each other.  
  
"Wow, Ms. Lina, this all pretty weird."  
  
"Yeah, something's not right here, but let's get some sleep so we can think clearer in the morning."  
  
They got ready for bed and snuggled down in the comforters to sleep.  
  
Later that night, when most were deep asleep, Yourry found a sword at his throat as he was roughly awakened. The holder of the sword was hooded and his face was masked. Moonlight reflected off the swordsman's glittering eyes.  
  
"Don't yell or our friend here will make things unpleasant," warned a female voice.  
  
"Yes, Lord Yourry," enjoined another voice more softly and sweetly, "No harm will come to you if you will just come with us. My word as a princess of Seyruun."  
  
"You!" he vehemently whispered. "How did you get past my guards and the magical locks and traps my sister set?"  
  
"Piece o' cake to three high ranking sorcerers," Lina grinned. "Now Zel here is a cold-hearted, mystical swordsman and not a softy like we two delicate girls. [Here Zel gave a growl, whether to indicate displeasure at Lina's pun at his expense or to intimidate Yourry wasn't discernable.] So if you would...?"  
  
Shaking with anger and a touch of fear, the Gabriev lord put on his dressing gown and gingerly felt for his slippers with his feet, since the sword at his throat prevented him from looking down. Lina also had her sword drawn at the ready. Amelia kept her hands ready for spell formation as the four of them passed through the more luxurious section of the castle and avoided stepping on unconscious guards.  
  
To Yourry's surprise, instead of leaving into the night, they quietly sneaked into the more dilapidated section containing Magda's apartments. They stopped at the hinge side of her bedroom door. Lina motioned Yourry to flatten himself against the wall and placed the Blast Blade to his throat as she and Amelia also hid along the side with him.   
  
Zel's ears twitched and he nodded to Lina. He was about to zoom away, when Lina reached out to grab his cloak and stopped him.   
  
"Zel, a destructive spell might make too much noise. Give me your sword and take the Blast Blade, just in case..." she demanded very quietly.  
  
"Are you sure, Lina?" Zel softly questioned.  
  
"Yes, you were his best male friend, and you may require it. Hey, don't take this too seriously. It's just a loan for now, you understand. The kid and I may need it later, so don't get attached to it!"   
  
He reverently strapped it on and suddenly shot down the hallway as deadly silent as an owl on the hunt. The three left behind watched as he did a Ray Wing out an open window. A few tense minutes later, the three lurkers heard a muffled shriek of defeat. Zel came rushing back. Lina looked askance at him. The chimera nodded and gave a thumbs up before straightening his cape, hood, and mask. He then gently tapped at the door before him.  
  
"At last you are here, Mutallos!" Magda breathed as she opened the door. As Zel mutely nodded and stepped into the room, she added, "There's been a change of plans that makes things easier. My half-brother's widow has arrived as well as that little justice freak of a Seyruun princess."   
  
After the door closed behind the chimera, Lina shoved Yourry to the door, and Amelia produced three glass tumblers from pockets in her cape. The search for Yourry's chambers had taken the trio past the kitchen, where Lina had grabbed a turkey leg and a handful of prunes and Amelia the tumblers. She handed one to Lina and the other to the very puzzled Yourry. She placed the open end of the third to the door and put her ear on the other end. As Amelia motioned the other two to follow her example, Lina hissed in Yourry's ear, "Listen!" and jabbed him in the side with the fingers of her sword-free hand before popping a prune in her mouth. He complied, and, as he looked down at her, he randomly thought, "The bossy little witch really doesn't have breasts." It was a good thing he didn't say it out loud. Expensive real estate would have rapidly lost its market value.  
  
What brought about this turn of events? It had transpired before all this, while Lina and Amelia were enduring the brother's court, Zelgadis had kept himself hidden. What he heard skulking around the village and manor did not cheer him, and he readily decided that Lina, Amelia, and he should leave before light the next day. Hiding near the kitchen, he overheard that Lina and Amelia were in Magda's wing and set off to find them.  
  
As he was slipping quietly down the corridor of Magda's section, he noticed a light and a female voice coming from one of the rooms. His sharp chimeric ears overheard the words "that little red-haired bitch, Lina" and decided some eavesdropping was called for. He quietly chanted, "Levitation" to rise to the shadows of the ceiling. With his body parallel to ceiling and floor, he peered in through the wide end of the crack between the door's top and door frame.  
  
Magda sat in the one marginally comfortable and intact chair of the room. She was brushing her long, dark brown hair in front of her mirror. A large raven perched on the seat of another chair next to the mirror. It became apparent Magda was talking to it.  
  
"Tomorrow that miserable brother of mine will pay for all the humiliation he has given me. First, inheriting this fiefdom all because he is male, although I am the elder! Then tricking me into marrying a husband with poor, backward holdings and no 'courage' in him." She gave a few hard, angry strokes of the brush to her hair.  
  
The bird croaked, "No courage?"  
  
She slammed the brush down on the floor. "Ah, yes, he was handsome and talented, but he could not 'rise to the occasion' for me. I fed him oysters, rhubarb and learned more powerful potions and spells, but on the day he died, I still got up with my maidenhead. And this despite the years I had lain in his bed, trying all sorts of tricks to turn him on," she complained.  
  
"Ah, that 'courage'!" rasped the raven.  
  
She arose and stroked the birds wings and back. "Actually, dear feathered friend, he did have 'courage', but for a little, whey-faced page boy. It got them both killed in that tragic banya (steam bath) fire. The examiners said the poor things, ahem, 'dallied' too long and were overcome by heat. The fools deduced the fire creating the steam somehow intensified and caused the structure to burst into flame while my dear husband and his love were unconscious. The two must have angered the Bannik (bath-house spirit), eh?" Her laughter could have given Naga a headache. "Ah, yes, locking spells and spells of silence do come in handy."  
  
"Now, thanks to our visitors, my plans for eliminating Yourry and inheriting what is rightfully mine can be advanced. Miss Fireball's literally explosive temper is legendary. People have seen she's been slighted by my brother, and, of course, they'll think she's punished him. "Too bad," they'll say, "she also accidently hit the Princess as well." Yourry seems a little too interested in Amelia, and I can't have him marrying and producing heirs."  
  
"Fireball! Nevermore!" quoth the raven.  
  
"One good thing about that sham marriage is I learned I am better suited to black magic. Thanks be to that ancient court sorcerer of my dearly departed husband and the old man's secret library. But because I still need some help to carry my plan out and now to put the blame on the Dragon Spooker, we're going to have a most unusual visitor tonight."  
  
"Visitor?"  
  
"You'll see. Now let's pay our nightly visit to a certain swan, shall we?" As she spoke, she reached up and patted the golden swan on her mirror. After a brief recitation of a spell, the mirror became cloudy, and suddenly in it appeared a beautiful woman with long, blonde hair. She was clad in white and her hands, feet, neck and waist were shackled by crystal to crystal.  
  
"Rejoice, my dear Step-mother! There's news of your boy!" Magda chuckled in evil glee.  
  
The woman in the mirror raised pained eyes.   
  
"Yes, yes, he married, and I think his little wife is expecting a brat. Which is all she may do. Expect."  
  
The captured woman stared impassively.  
  
"Of course, if you tell me where the Belt is, the itty-bitty worm may survive." She watched in delight as the imprisoned woman started to shake violently.  
  
"Oh, by the way, I forgot. More news. Your sweet, darling boy is dead. His little stump of a widow came here to tell us herself."  
  
The vila opened her mouth in an agonized silent scream, and tears started to race down her cheeks as she bowed her head. Her golden hair appeared to draw a curtain on her sorrow.  
  
"Come, come now, After all these years you know what I want. Give me the Belt of Fertility. The impotent emperor needs it to get an heir, and I'm hoping if I make a gift of it to him, he'll marry me in gratitude. Before it was just to gain his favor to have him depose my brother. Now that my husband is no more, I aim higher. Just think, he's worn out four wives with no result, but I'll be the one finally to grant his and the empire's greatest wish! Don't you want a happy emperor? Where's your patriotism? You could be free ofyour confinement, too. You have only to indicate you are willing to talk and not spew insults like you've done several times before, and I'll release you fully."  
  
The vila only lifted her head and stared defiantly at her stepdaughter.  
  
"After all these years, you think help will still come? Not from your dead, idiot son. And I'm going to take care of that bitch of a widow and her overly perky, royal friend. Well, enough for now. I have to plan for mourning my brothers and executing the murderess of my dear brother, Yourry." She waved a hand and murmured a couple magical words. The glass cleared, but on the golden swan a golden tear now appeared on its golden cheek.  
  
Magda yawned and stretched. "Oh, my. I hope that monster shape-shifter shows up on time. I'm going to be losing beauty sleep."  
  
Zelgadis quietly lowered himself from his listening position and sought out Lina and Amelia's room. It was surprisingly easy. He smiled to hear a sleepy Amelia complain, "Lina, you're sleeping like a cat in a fishpond again." He softly knocked on the door in the code they had agreed upon earlier. He heard the rustle of a dressing gown being hastily put on and quiet footsteps quickly approach the door. The door swiftly opened, and Zel ducked in and gave the tired looking Amelia a quick, one armed hug across her shoulders.  
  
Lina was sprawled at an odd angle on the bed. The bed covers were twisted every which way. Her face was wrinkled in a frown.  
  
"Ms. Lina," Amelia quietly tried to rouse the sorceress. No response.  
  
Zel leaned over the red-head and whispered in her ear, "All you can eat buffet for free." Lina sat up and would have shouted "Where?Where?" but for both Amelia's and Zel's clapping their hands over Lina's mouth and holding her arms down.  
  
After getting Lina's wide-awake attention, Zelgadis told them what he had overheard and seen in Magda's room. Both women were flabbergasted and were all for charging down the hall to take care of Magda right away.   
  
"Wait, wait!" Zelgadis counseled. "It'll be your word against hers to everyone or worse for you, if she's killed without her brother's or some other reliable relative knowing her plot."  
  
"All righty then, let's wake up and grab that tight-assed runt, Yourry!" Lina cackled. After commanding Zel to turn around and stare at the wall, she tossed on her clothes, and Amelia did the same. As she buckled on the Blast Blade, Lina more demanded than asked, "Zel, think you can act like a monster assassin and draw a confession out of Magda while we listen at her door?"  
  
"And just hope the real one doesn't show up while we're at it?" Zel quirked an eyebrow as he asked this.  
  
"Hey, adventurers are gamblers, aren't they? We gotta take our chances if justice is to be served," Amelia chimed in.  
  
"It's the best we can do so quickly, I guess," Zelgadis agreed. "Well, let's go!" And the three silently left the room to find and capture Yourry for his own good.  
  
Back to the current situation: Through their "listening" devices, the trio outside Magda's door heard Zelgadis query, "Oh, and how have the plans changed?"  
  
"Ah, I'm forgetting my manners. Please sit. Do monsters ever eat or drink real food?" Magda asked.  
  
"As a shape-shifter I often have to in order to maintain the illusion. I have found I can enjoy a glass of good wine every now and then," replied Zelgadis. "However, I'd rather discuss your matter with no distractions. Thank you, though."  
  
"Well, it's good I'm dealing with an entity with some manners and brains."  
  
Outside the door, Lina finished munching on her prune. There was nothing left but the pit. She rolled it around in her mouth and, pursing her lips, made ready to spit it out.  
  
"Ms. Lina, don't you dare spit that out on the floor! It's so uncouth!" hissed Amelia.  
  
"My hands are full, Amelia. I can't just put it in my pocket," the sorceress retorted as quietly as she could.  
  
"Then just keep it in your mouth and suck on it!" Amelia shot back.  
  
In Magda's room, the conversation became more serious.  
  
"Well, Mr. Shape-shifter, I hope you'll be more successful than that assassin I sent to find and eliminate my half-brother. Although it turned out, the hired killer wasn't needed. The half-breed fool managed to get himself killed without any outside assistance."  
  
"Once I hear your new plan, I'm sure I shall be successful," Zel icily assured her.  
  
"First, I'll lure the widow to my room without her royal friend. A sleep spell and chains should keep Lina out of action for a while. This should enable you to study and duplicate her features. You and I will then gather up the princess. We'll tell her we have evidence to connect Yourry with the assassin sent to kill my wretched half-brother. From what I've seen of her, she'll want to confront Yourry immediately. All three of us will face him in his treasure room, where he always goes alone. We'll let the princess approach him first, and then I'll blast them both to the Sea of Chaos. You will run out in Lina's form. By crying out that Lina Inverse has murdered Yourry and the princess, I'll raise higher the alarm caused by the blast. In the meantime, you should take on the guise of one of the guards and return to my rooms. Call the guards and wake the witch. Say it looked like she was going to assassinate me. "

"And what will be your excuse for being out of your rooms?"

"I learned the sorceress was going to harm Yourry and came too late to warn him."

Yourry became angrier and angrier as he listened to his traitorous sister describe her plan. He must have inherited at least some of the Gabriev famous reflexes, because suddenly he knocked Lina's sword arm up and away and, shoving Amelia aside, threw open the door. "My own dear Sister...How dare you!" he roared as he rushed towards her, his hands raised in fists, but without the benefit of a spell like Amelia would cast. At the moment his deck didn't have all the aces.  
  
Zelgadis grabbed the man by the shoulder with one hand and wrapped his arm around Yourry's neck as Lina and Amelia rushed in.  
  
Magda laughed, "Looks like we'll have to modify our plan a little, Mutallos! Kill him while I take care of these two." She cast a Fireball at the two women, but Amelia and Lina immediately responded just in time with a magical shield.  
  
In a low voice, Zelgadis scolded Yourry, "You fool! What made you think you could burst in here without a weapon?" He thunked the man on the head just enough to knock him out.  
  
Without thinking, Amelia called out, "Will he be ok, Mr. Zelgadis?"  
  
Lina, Zel, and Magda face-faulted.   
  
"So, let's see you change shape, Mutallos or Zelgadis, is it?" Magda commanded stiffly, her eyes dangerously narrowed.  
  
"Sorry, not in the mood," Zel countered and threw a Freeze Arrow at her. She cancelled it with a Flare Arrow and called the raven to her. She muttered a quick spell, and the raven grew to an enormous size with red eyes and razor sharp teeth. It was in actuality a lessor demon of not much intelligence.  
  
Amelia and Lina dropped the shield, and as the raven flew at the women, Lina spat the prune pit in its right eye. Amelia and Lina next shot "Elmekia Lance!" at it as it squawked in pain and surprise in mid-air. Everyone ducked as black feathers and demon blood splattered everywhere before dissipating.  
  
"Gods, Ms. Lina, that pit spitting was so gross and unlady-like," Amelia remonstrated her friend as they crouched on the floor.  
  
"But it worked, didn't it?" Lina responded.  
  
As she stood up, Magda drew a sword hidden under her dressing gown and charged at the women, only to be blocked by Zelgadis' sword. "So it's swords, is it?" she chuckled while jumping back. "You forget I'm a Gabriev." Her attack was very fast and well timed, but Zelgadis' parry was even quicker and more well timed. Her blade was shattered by the Blast Blade, and only her reflexes with what was left in the hilt of her sword saved her from a mortal slash.  
  
"Whoops, I guess you didn't notice I'm part golem, did you?" With a dangerous sparkle in his eyes he further taunted her, "Isn't ironic that the sword I wield is the Blast Blade of your dead brother?"  
  
Magda crouched against the side of the bed in horror for just a few seconds before thrusting out her hands and crying "Gaav Flare!" Of course, nothing happened since Gaav was gone. She stared at her hands and cried, "But it's not that time of the month!"  
  
Zelgadis smirked and responded in an almost bored tone, "Guess you either forgot or didn't know, you can't draw power from a destroyed Dark Lord. It happens. [Yawn] Dug Haut!" Spikes rose from the floor and impaled the woman through the heart. She gave a screech of pain and rage and expired.  
  
As Lina and Amelia went to check on Yourry, the golden framed mirror began to shake. The swan on the mirror frame's top began grow and change to white. It spread its wings and floated gracefully down to the floor. As it raised its lowered head, the feathers there turned to lustrous golden hair and a human-like face appeared. The lowering wings became arms, and the body straightened to reveal a tall, female figure.   
  
"Thank you for freeing me at last!" she rejoiced and then declared, "I'm so going to need a long soak in a good, hot bubble bath!"   
  
"Sounds like a great plan to me," Lina agreed. "By the way, I'm Lina, Gourry's wife, this is Amelia, Princess of Seyruun, and Zelgadis Greywards. We're all top rank sorcerers," she added proudly. Then her face saddened considerably, "But G-Gourry is..."  
  
"I know. SHE told me." Ivana reached out to Lina and the two hugged each other. Ivana added quietly, "But gold can turn up in unexpected places." She smiled mysteriously.  
  
Zelgadis and Amelia let them be for a few minutes before the princess piped up, "There is some good news..."  
  
"Yes, I'm carrying Gourry's child," Lina finished for her.  
  
Ivana face gently smiled as she commented, "Again, THAT woman told me."  
  
"Now what?" Zelgadis asked. "Even though we saved Yourry's life, I still don't trust him."  
  
"And I'd like to leave for my mother's as soon as possible, even before Yourry there wakes up," answered Ivana.  
  
"We'll leave as soon as I find out what has happened to the Fertility Belt," was Lina's stubborn answer to Zel.  
  
Ivana noticed the arm Zel had unconsciously put around Amelia's shoulders. She gave a musical laugh. "I know where it is. After my husband and I decided we didn't want any more children, I gave the Belt to a guardian to hide it for me. Follow me to the kitchen." The three sorcerers looked at each other and shrugged. After putting the now sleep-spelled Yourry on the bed, they followed the vila.  
  
They were mystified as she searched for a clean bowl, found one, and filled it with milk. Near the huge fireplace there was a small cabinet on raised feet. Ivana placed the bowl of milk next to it and called softly, "You may return now, my domovoi friend."  
  
A large black snake emerged, and in it's mouth was something rolled up. Amelia gave a little shriek and grabbed Zelgadis' arm. Ivana gently reassured her, "Have no fear. A snake is the form the protective spirits of the home often take." She reached down and took up the object the snake had dropped at her feet. It was a belt woven of silver cloth with wheat sheaves entwined with flowers embroidered on it. She handed it to Lina. "This is what you seek," she said simply, "Although you obviously don't need it."  
  
"Oh, I can think of some people who might," grinned Lina wickedly, and with a wink she handed it to Amelia, who blushed fiercely, as did Zel. "Why, Amelia, I'm just giving it to you for safe keeping," she teased.  
  
"Uh, ok, Ms Lina."  
  
"I have but one other thing to do before I leave," said the vila. They followed her to a rose garden. Ivana stopped under a trellised rose bower and, lifting up a large stone, pulled out a bundle. Lina recognized it as a vila's robe.  
  
"My husband told me where it was before he died, but Magda captured me before I could retrieve it and leave," she explained as she slipped on the robe. "When my grandchild is about to be born, please let me know, Lina. I shall come to help. Good-bye and thank you again!" With that, she changed into a large swan and flew off to the south to her mother's forest.  
  
"Let's gather our things, take leave of Yourry, and head back," Lina commanded. "Mysteries have been solved, and there are miraculous flowers yet to gather."  
  
And so they quickly left the Empire for Seyruun.  
  
To be continued...  
  
To imagine this fic's vision of Elmekian costumes, think of the Russian lacquer boxes with fairy tales depicted on 'em or nesting dolls that seem to be cropping up in gift shops lately.

I've been shocked when some foreign friends I thought were very comfortable in English, because they used appropriate grammatical structure and idioms and had little accent, admitted they didn't always understand what was being spoken. Also,when he first knew my foreign born father, my American maternal grandfather thought my dad was stupid because Dad didn't always understand what was spoken.  
  
Prune cravings? Ah, yes, when I was pregnant with my daughter, I have to admit I had a thing for 'em.

Gourry died too quickly in the previous part? I wanted it to be a shock and ironic, rather than the heroic, drawn out, bloody, romantic thing the like situation often is in fanfics. There are many cases where healthy seeming atheletes have just dropped dead; two of them were in my daughter's high school several years ago, one of them expired in his parents' driveway after just attending the funeral of the other! Then there's the very sad case of the gold medal winning Russian pairs ice skater who just up and died on the ice, practicing with his wife, leaving her and their young child. I think in most cases, death was attributed to hidden heart defects.


	5. Kin and Kind, Part 5

Kin & Kind, Pt. 5  
  
A couple months after returning to Seyruun, Lina giggled a real giggle for the first time in a long while as a tiny limb caused a strange, hollow tickle in her middle. A corresponding ripple crossed the surface of her naked abdomen. She watched in fascination as more movement followed. Here was confirmation of new life forming. She had rolled her hair in such a way as to form a pillow for her neck and was resting her head on the edge of a quiet, shallow natural pool in a sun-dappled glade in the woods near Seyruun. Letting her body relax in the water, she watched her belly, which seemed to float like a jellyfish in the pool. Jellyfish. Tears began trickling down her cheeks.   
  
"Damn it, Gourry, you should be here!" she moaned, sitting up and splashing the water with both fists. For a few brief moments she considered just letting herself sink down in the water and not coming up, but the thought of the life within saved her yet again as did her own innate, insatiable curiosity as to what life itself had to offer.   
  
Yes, he should be there to share the joy of the quickening of their child. But given their dangerous life style, she knew he might not be when they decided this baby was a delightful 'accident'. Most of the time now she put on a cheerful face and attitude for others, but without him she felt inside like one of those stuffed cotton dolls with the mechanism that spouted pre-set phrases when a ring in the back was pulled. She missed his arm around her waist or hand on a breast as they snuggled at night. The warmth of his smooth, muscular chest had been so comforting on chilly evenings. She even longed to feel him affectionately ruffle the hair on the top of her head, although when she had first met him, it had infuriated her. She was also achingly uncertain what future motherhood would produce without his support. She needed his calm reassurance and matter of fact outlook on life.  
  
Just when she started to feel depressed again, she thought of her first visit with Sylphiel after Gourry's death.  
  
[Flashback]  
  
When Lina felt emotionally ready, she sought out Sylphiel, who had become high priestess of one of the more prestigious temples in Seyruun. It was especially hard for Lina to break the news of Gourry's death to Sylphiel, not only for the pain it caused Lina herself to relate it, but also because Lina knew the depth of the priestess' feelings for Gourry.   
  
As a powerful priestess of white and holy magic, Sylphiel knew right away Lina was pregnant and clapped her hands joyfully, but when she asked, "Where is Gourry, Lina? I want to congratulate him, too," Lina tried to hid her deep hurt by seeming to return to a feigned callous attitude.   
  
"Oh, that big, dumb blond that used to hang around me? Yeah, he's the father of the kid, but he didn't stick around."  
  
Sylphiel eyes widened in shock, "But, but I can't believe Gourry would desert you, especially in your condition."   
  
Lina clenched her teeth and dipped her head for a few seconds.   
  
"Lina, do you need to talk? I ask not only in my official capacity as a priestess, but as a friend." Sylphiel reached out to embrace the sorceress.  
  
Suddenly Lina lifted her head and, looking Sylphiel straight in the face, blurted out, "Oh gods, Sylphiel, the truth is, he died after protecting me!"  
  
She accepted Sylphiel's embrace and told her what had happened. Emotion broke through the priestess' professional facade, and both women sank weeping in each others arms to the floor in Sylphiel's small, comfortable living room. In a strange way Lina felt comforted, for she had never felt as close to Sylphiel as she did then, despite the stab she took to her already wounded heart when Sylphiel looked sadly away and said, "At least you had happiness with him for a while. Many never share such love, and now you have something miraculous to remind you of him." Lina gave a small smile and nodded her head in agreement. Sylphiel always could make her feel better. The white shrine priestess fit her calling very well.   
  
Now semi-floating in the pool, Lina thought, yes, Sylphiel had been right. She did have a small miracle forming inside her. Said small miracle caused another ripple in her abdomen. Lina rubbed the mound of impending motherhood absent mindedly, her hands gently moving in small circles. She again contemplated the child literally within and her stretching skin.  
  
"Is that the start of stretch marks? Thanks a lot, kid. First you take away my black magic, and now I've gotta invest in cocoa butter. Otherwise my tum will look like a rotting grapefruit when you're out."  
  
"Very interesting and very dangerous," cackled a rough, female voice. "My master will be delighted that I killed you just in time."   
  
The mazoku 'female's' four hands started to glow with power, and Lina felt annoyance, rather than fear.   
  
"Hey, interrupting a pregger in her private soak isn't nice!" Lina responded and used her pregnancy enhanced shaman powers to promptly set up a strong shield. But she knew that was only a temporary measure. She couldn't maintain it forever, and the Blast Blade under her pile of clothes was out of her reach. She started to gather power to cast Ra Tilt.  
  
A sudden blast of light coming from behind and over the sorceress' head totally disintegrated the creature.  
  
"Wow, they've grown bigger!" an achingly familiar voice chuckled.   
  
"G-G-Gourry?!! She stuttered and covered her breasts with her hands. "No, you're either a ghost or another mazoku in disguise!!!" she angrily shouted and started to prepare a white defensive spell.   
  
Golden hair swung down, strong arms pulled her out of the water, and a voice laughingly whispered in her ear, "Page 63, no mustard."   
  
Lina gasped and stared. His words confirmed it was he and a deep, passionate kiss on the lips that he was no mazoku. She chortled and promptly fainted.   
  
And awoke to find herself dressed in her loose, magenta maternity robe and wrapped in his warm arms. She and he were lying in the shade of a water oak that stood near the pool.   
  
"Wha-? How, how, how?" she inquired, struggling to sit up and staring at his face in amazement and disbelief. "Amelia couldn't have been wrong. I held a mirror to your nose for several minutes, and there was no breath! You were so cold, still and white!"  
  
Although he was dressed differently, the summer gold tresses, the face, the hands, everything that made him Gourry were the same. Only the once innocent blue eyes held a greater depth, and a glimmer of light, like the bright flecks in lapis lazuli, seemed to appear here and there.   
  
"Hey, remember when you told Sylphiel I could be killed and still wouldn't die?" he reminded her. "You were right, as always." He then gathered her back in his arms, kissed the hair on top of her head, and murmured, "Mmmm, you are more beautiful than ever."   
  
"But you took out that mazoku with magic! Since when can you do that?" she blushingly asked, looking up at him and toying with a lock of his hair.   
  
With a serious face, he replied, "Since The Golden Lord restored me. I guess I was only partly dead when you sent my body down the river. My soul was still lingering, because I didn't want to leave you. And thank you, by the way, for remembering my family's final voyage tradition. It made things much easier for the Lord. If I had been buried, I would have been mostly dead, or, if I had been cremated, I would have been definitely dead."  
  
"That still doesn't explain the magic and with no incantations, no less." She said impatiently.  
  
"The Golden Lord gave me back myself and then some."  
  
[Flashback]  
  
Gourry awoke to find himself floating in a place he vaguely remembered. Pain was gone. As he puzzledly looked around, he noticed what seemed a golden version of Lina slowly materializing in front of him.  
  
"Lina? Didn't I save you after all? Don't tell me you're dead, too!"  
  
The figure answered in a low, ringing female voice, "No, I am not your Lina. I thought appearing in this form would make things easier to explain to you by giving you someone familiar to look at."  
  
"Eh, I usually have a hard time following what Lina says. She's too cute," Gourry admitted ruefully and rubbed the back of his head in his usual befuddled way. "Maybe you'd better take someone else's form so I don't automatically switch off what brain I've got, Ma'am."  
  
"Male or female?" the entity asked.  
  
"Female?"  
  
"You got it. Men seem to admire this one." She disintegrated in sparkles and reassembled as a tall, long-haired blonde woman whose bangs covered Her eyes. What could be seen of Her face was in perfect proportions and gorgeous, as was Her body. She was clothed in a strapless, black sheath that reached Her feet and that was slit high up the side. Her slender arms were adorned with gold bangles, and Her fingernails were finely manicured. She was truly drool-worthy. "You like?"  
  
"Yeah, a little too much," he admitted sheepishly. "I'll still have a hard time listening. Maybe if you were dressed a little differently?"  
  
The Lord of Nightmares sighed and flicked a hand in annoyance. She was then dressed in jeans, hiking boots, and a long sleeved, loose-fitting, plaid flannel shirt in place of the sexy dress and spike-heeled sandals. Her hair was done back in a long braid. Crossing Her legs and sitting down in mid-chaos, She inquired, "Ok, now?"  
  
Gourry sat down in the same way and responded, "Yeah. Thanks. Uh, how come I'm back here in one piece, body and all, and not dispersed or in heaven or in hell or whatever? And what do I call you?"  
  
"Well, dear boy, to begin with, I have a little deal I'd like to propose to you. It's a darn good thing your wife and friends didn't bury or cremate you. It woulda meant more work for me to start from scratch. As to the second question, some call me the Lord of Nightmares, some the Lord of Dreams or Visions, some the Mother of All. I am all of these. Moma-sama, I guess." She gave a very un-lord like giggle. "But you may call me [dramatic pause] T.I.M."

"Huh?"

"Terrifyingly Infinite Majesty."

"Really?"

"Or, I guess the usual fanfic spawned, redundant L-sama will do."  
  
"Yes, L-sama, T.I.M., Ma'am," Gourry acknowledged with a salute of his hand to his forehead.  
  
She smiled and said "Let's get down to business. The Balance between Light and Dark is getting harder and harder to maintain, although, actually, I like things just a tad off. It makes watching more interesting than if everything was sunshine and roses. However, there are times nowadays when I feel I must interfere to keep things from going too far out of whack, as much as I'd like to refrain from doing so. But it's difficult without any servants directly linked to me and having to wait for someone to cast the Giga Slave. You know what a mess THAT creates. My Dark side finds it amusing, but my Light side is appalled at the clean-up needed. What I propose is I'll give you your physical body back with a memory restoration and upgrade. Nothing of your skills and present memories will be lost, but you will be able to do what your world calls magic."  
  
"Why me of all people, and what is the catch?"  
  
"You did something no human, or in your case, part-human, ever did. You TOUCHED me. And in the Sea of Chaos, at that. Your pure heart and strength of love enabled you to defy me and enter my Sea of Chaos. You broke barriers no other physical entity could breach, even those with magical power. Normally only astral beings like the mazuko and dragons can do such a thing, but not if I don't want them to. Plus that little brat of a grandson, Phibrizzo, also managed to release an unexpected hidden power in you. You are much more than you know, and I mean to bring you up to full potential."  
  
She continued, "The catch is every once in a while you will let me take over when the Balance is such great danger there is no other way."  
  
"Be your puppet, in other words?"  
  
"No, really an avatar," Seeing his puzzled look at the word 'avatar' and fearing an awful pun was in the making, She warned, "Uh, uh. Not a word, or this interview will end unpleasantly." He shut his mouth and complied. "Avatar means you'd be my representative on your world, somewhat like a messenger at times," She added.  
  
"And I'll get to be with Lina and our child?" he asked as he looked down and stroked the lock of red somehow still in his hand.  
  
"Oh, yes, Lina'll be needed, too, as well as your children, although I don't want to say how or why at this moment. Let me just comment that now, of all times, she and your future children need your protection the most. You'll be my true Swordsman of Light."  
  
"You won't use my body too often, and I'll have free will otherwise?"  
  
"Of course. It's the free will that makes my creations interesting to watch!"  
  
After a few moments of thought, he struck his fist in his hand and said, "Ok!"  
  
"Before you return though, you will need more training. Otherwise, who knows what disaster may occur? Ah, wait a minute, as an omniscient being, actually, I do."  
  
"How long? Lina will miss and need me."  
  
"Sorry, won't say. First, I'll upgrade your wetware for more memory and wireless networking with me. Then I need to create a dimensional pocket for you to live, study, and train in..." L-sama murmured more to Herself than to him, as She caused Gourry to fall into unconsciousness again.

[End of flashback]

Gourry explained to Lina, "L-sama said there is too much that must be done to preserve the right Balance in this world. The Lord of Order and Chaos apparently requires us both here. On the human level I'm still Gourry, but Moma-sama has made me something else.  
  
"Yeah, you sure are "something else," Gourry. "Moma-sama?" That's, that's...you, alright," Lina commented. "But why did the Lord of Nightmares take you from me, and why has She returned you to me?"

"Because now you need protection more than ever, especially since you insist on going places alone like this in your condition." he answered, gently rubbing her rounded belly.  
  
"Condition, smishion. I can't stand the fuss, fuss, FUSS of Amelia and her father. And then Amelia's sister, Naga, is back. I traveled with her before I met you. She is SO irritating. Just wait until you hear her laugh. I absolutely HAVE to escape every once in a while." Lina groused.  
  
"Now that I'm back, we can escape together. You really can't be without protection, and as L-sama's human rep., I'm supposed to provide it. Since that adventure with Phibrizzo, you have been truly one of L-sama's as well, although not conscious of it. I don't know the full extent of Her intent, but T.I.M. will reveal more to us both at a later time."  
  
"T.I.M.?"

"Terrifyingly Infinite Majesty."

"Whatever. I just hope it isn't at an inappropriate time, like when we're eating, bathing, or (blush) in bed," Lina commented. "But I'm still not clear why we're Chosen and if that is a good thing."  
  
Gourry replied, "Anyway, it seems the majority of what's left of the mazoku lords wish to destroy our world of order, not destroy the world itself. They desire to subsitute a world of chaos. Hellmaster's destruction apparently made them realize they were mistaken as to Mother of All's intent in their creation. The rebel Gaav actually was carrying out Her Will more closely. We apparently can help prevent total chaos… Whoa, is that the baby moving?!"  
  
"Yes. The movement just recently became very noticeable," she giggled and then said thoughtfully, "Yet the Lord of Nightmares is Chaos, the Sea of Chaos. Why would She want Balance?"  
  
"Ah, come on, Lina. You must be aware L-sama is not only Lord of Nightmares. She is a Dark Lord and a Light Lord, and also the Opposite of Nightmares, the Lord of Visions. Chaos can accidentally create order by being chaos. Thus L-sama is Chaos and Order, demon and god, Lord of Opposing Natures, keeping us off balance to maintain Balance." He added, "Although L-sama admitted total Balance is boring and prefers it to teeter-totter."  
  
"LOON. Appropriate name, I suppose," Lina muttered under her breath and then declared aloud, "L-sama HAS done a number to improve your thinking processes. Coherent, philosophical thought from a jellyfish?"  
  
"If it makes you feel any better, I can still forget names and stuff."  
  
"Yeah, like coming back to me before this," she furiously cried and suddenly grabbed him in her famous choke-hold. "These have been the worst months of my life. I've been close to suicide because of you!"  
  
"URK, grk! Let …me…explain!" he managed to gasp out. "Sheesh, being pregnant hasn't calmed you down."  
  
"It's because I AM pregnant and have missed you very, very much that I'm this way, you jerk!" she huffed, but relaxed her hold.  
  
"Lina, it took time for me to learn, understand, and use responsibly the powers L-sama has given me. To appear again to you beforehand would have been dangerous to both of us and to the Balance. And let me tell you, the accelerated magic training I got was no fun. I can't tell you how many times I got killed, maimed, and restored until I got things right."  
  
Here Lina muttered in sympathy, "At least my sister only almost killed me."  
  
Gourry continued, "So blame L-sama. She did let me peek in on you from time to time, though. I did think and hoped She might let me return when you went to my family and my sister began plotting to get you killed."  
  
Lina sucked her breath through her teeth and gave him a fist on the top of his head in her inimitable style. "Damn, I wish we had visited them the first time I was with you in Elmekia. On the other hand, I had strongly suspected your brother was behind the assassin at our wedding and probably would have blasted the wrong person's butt to blazes."  
  
"And caused a never-ending family feud with revenge being taken by all sides."  
  
"Like your new outfit, by the way," Lina grinned and changed the subject.  
  
Indeed, he was radiant in white trousers and tunic with golden trim on his sleeves and collar. Golden gauntlets, greaves, and pectoral armor lay by his side.  
  
"Thanks, Lina. By the way, that's my sword, isn't it?"  
  
"Ah, shoot, you noticed. Now I suppose you want to take it back. Say, since you can do magic now, why do you need it?"  
  
"And why does Zel need a sword and you, Love, since you both use magic?"  
  
"Umm, does anyone else know you are alive?" she asked in return as she made a show of reluctantly giving him the Blast Blade. "If they do, they are going to suffer more than I have!" she added menacingly.  
  
"No, L-sama just dumped me here."  
  
"So what else can you do? Ray Wing?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
"Prove it!" she challenged, her hands on her hips, nose lifted up at him, and a dangerous twinkle in her eyes. "How about we give Amelia and Zel a little surprise? I think they're in Amelia's apartment in the castle."  
  
Gourry put on his armor and the Blast Blade. Then he scooped her up in his arms, and with a shouted "Ray Wing!" they zoomed out of the green glade.  
  
And succeeded in scaring the be-jabbers out of Amelia, Sylphiel and Zelgadis as they flew in through an open window of Amelia's castle apartment. It didn't help that Lina was also screeching, "Wa-hoo! Daddy's home and Momma's hungry!"   
  
Sylphiel, who was visiting,flopped down in a swoon on the floor. Zelgadis, who had been sipping tea and leaning over the back of the chair on which Amelia sat, spilled the hot liquid all down his front and Amelia's back, causing her to jump up, trip over the prone Sylphiel, and fall flat on her face into a chocolate and caramel cheesecake Sylphiel had just made and was about to serve. Lina gobbled up the remains of the cheesecake in seconds flat while the others recovered from shock and faint and began questioning Gourry, who looked longingly at the rapidly disappearing cake and the cause of its disappearance.  
  
Suddenly Xelloss phased in but did not notice the swordsman, who made "bunny" ears with his fingers back of the mazoku's head. Xelloss gave a puzzled look to see Zel smiling so broadly at his appearance. Usually the chimera's normally angered expression at his arrival gave the mazoku evil satisfaction and a nice little snack. As golden waves of goodness slapped the back of his dark astral self, he turned to see Gourry. "Well, I see the Lord of Nightmares finally did an upgrade on you, Swordsman. The Mother of All always did favor blonds," Xelloss complained.  
  
"And what brings you here, Fruitcake?" Zelgadis growled.  
  
"Why, I haven't congratulated Lina on conceiving," the trickster explained with false innocence.  
  
"Well, that's a better response than "It's a secret," although not truly informative. 'Truly' as in 'truth', that is."  
  
"Ach, the pain of mistrust," and Xelloss melodramatically clutched his chest. "Actually, I'm here for a little game, if anyone would care to take me up on it."  
  
"A game?" Lina snorted. "I bet it's more than that and dangerous besides."  
  
"Oh, not at all," the mazoku reassured them. "No one will be hurt, if one of you plays."  
  
"And if no one does?"  
  
"There might be some problems," Xelloss admitted, and his purple cat eyes opened halfway.  
  
"What might this game be?" Zel asked through his gritted teeth.  
  
"Actually, it's more of a little musical competition." Xelloss then magically pulled a fiddle and bow out of the bag he always wore by his side.  
  
"And the prize?" Amelia asked.  
  
"Why, Lina's baby. When it's born, of course."  
  
"WHAT!!!" everyone else in the room shrieked.  
  
"Tsk, tsk. Calm down and I'll explain," the mazoku purred.  
  
Amazingly enough, considering it was his child Xelloss was talking about, Gourry spoke and moved his palms in a downward motion to settle everyone. "Let's hear this nonsense before we kick his butt." He glared at Xelloss.  
  
Crossing his feet at the ankles, Xelloss seated himself in the air as though sitting in chair. "As you well know, Lina has been most emphatic about never joining us, despite all she draws on our dark power. That blond bozo over there just brings out the good in her too well. My master thinks the mazoku will do better with her child, especially if we can bring it up in our ways without human, elf, or draconic interference. Zelas made sure Lina and Gourry were safely together until Lina became pregnant. We had planned to eliminate Gourry to make adopting the child easier, but Mother of All interferred. We'll face The Mother's wrath if we harm him now."  
  
"How do you know it will have the Talent? It could be hopeless about magic, as Gourry once was," Lina scoffed.  
  
"No such luck, Lina. Through her powers, Zelas was able to determine your daughter's potential when the child was conceived. She could exceed you, given proper training."  
  
Lina looked at Gourry with stars in her eyes and clasped his hands. "A daughter! We're going to have a little girl!" Lina bubbled.  
  
"Uh, actually, Lina, I knew that. The Golden Lord told me."  
  
"And you didn't tell me?!" She punched him in the stomach and grabbed him in that choke-hold again.  
  
"You didn't ask, and I haven't had the time to tell you yet," he gasped out.  
  
"Ah, can we get back to my proposition, folks?" Xelloss testily asked, waving fiddle and bow in the air.  
  
"I take it there's something to do with music?" Zelgadis commented.  
  
"Why, yes, my good Chimera. There is. Dare any of you 'play fiddle with the devil', aka, me? Well, you don't really have to play fiddle. Any instrument will do."  
  
Rage boiled up in Zelgadis.  
  
"Mister Zelgadis, there's steam coming out of your ears. Better adjust your lid and turn down the heat," Xelloss joked.  
  
Zelgadis turned to his friends. "Lina and Gourry, you know I'm an excellent guitar player. Do you wish me to defend..."  
  
"No, Zel, the darkness in your soul won't let you win. I'll play. It's my child," Gourry explained simply.  
  
"Huh? What instrument can you play?" Amelia looked askance at the golden swordsman.  
  
"This," the man replied and produced a beautifully inlaid wooden flute.  
  
Lina smiled with love and remembrance at her husband. "That's right. You played beautifully for your grandmother's dance circle. Go, Gourry!" and she added softly and imploringly, "Please."  
  
With an trademarked evil, amethyst-eyed grin, Xelloss placed the fiddle against his chest and raised his bow confidently. With an initial loud screech that had everyone, except Gourry, writhing in pain he played "The Devil went down to Zephilia," "Night on Kataart Mountain." and other songs that caused great sadness, despair, and doubt in their hearts. They collapsed on the floor and stared mournfully at nothing.   
  
Except, again, for Gourry, who serenely and beautifully countered with "Red-haired Girl" and other melodies that lifted their hearts and set them to dancing. As he played and his body swayed with the music, Gourry's hair swung in great swoops, sending golden reflections flashing throughout the room. But it was the power of the "Kiss in the Sea of Chaos" that finally caused the 'devil's instrument' to break in two in Xelloss' hands and the monster's face to go green. The mazoku collapsed on himself and black fluid flowed from his mouth as he phased away, unable to stand up to the love and joy filling the room. They heard him mutter as he left, "That's not fair, Lord of Nightmares."  
  
Only Lina noticed that Gourry's eyes were golden and and rapidly turning back to blue.  
  
"Yuck," Amelia said as everyone cheered in jubilation. "I hope the palace maids can get that monster ichor stain out of the rug."  
  
As Lina clung to his neck and covered his face with kisses, despite her normal reluntance to give public displays of affection, Gourry gave a self-satisfied smile. A sudden rumbling caused him to look at the Seyruun princess pleadingly.  
  
"Gods, Amelia, I'm still human enough to be as hungry as Lina! When can we eat?"  
  
"Yeah, that cheesecake just wet my appetite," Lina pouted, snuggling into the curve of Gourry's arm and chest.  
  
"Guess you two are almost back to your usual selves," sighed Amelia. "Our poor cooks! Well, let me warn them to get busy."  
  
Later that evening, to Gourry's and her delight, Lina discovered more than one type of appetite had returned to her, which was fine, since she hadn't yet entered her final trimester. But let's draw the curtain on this particular episode and this fic. To paraphrase an ancient folk tale and folk song ending: There's bread and cheese on the shelf. If you want more food, then get it yourself.  
  
"Konets"  
  
(The end)  
  
says the old mother  
  
NOTES at the end of it all and possibly some explanations for my reader-friends not in the U.S.:

Fans of "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" might have enjoyed the T.I.M. joke.

Apparently 'sama' can loosely mean either 'lord' or 'dear.' Thus the 'L' in L-sama being short for 'Lord of Nightmares' can be like saying 'Lord of Nightmares Lord,' but it's one of those fanfiction things like Zel and his coffee that have come into common fanfic usage. 'L-sama' is useful English language fanfic 'shorthand,' though; everybody knows who it is.

In certain Christian extreme fundamentalist churches, the fiddle is considered the 'devil's instrument,' as it could stir the animal passions and lead to 'unholy' dancing. ;-D

"The Devil Went Down to Georgia" was a song popular in the U.S. a while ago. Its story concerned a fiddle competition in the U.S. Southern state of Georgia for the soul of the human competitor. "Red-Haired Boy" is an fast, bouncy old fiddle tune from the Southeastern U.S./Ireland. It's spunky and can have a few dark, minor sounding chords in it. It fits Lina. The last song title is just made up and has only a relation to the last episode of Next.  
  
Tying up some questions from readers about references in other parts.   
  
For Slayers fans who haven't had access to translated manga: In the first manga of Super Explosive Demon Story, the next to last episode, Lina and Gourry ran into an old buddy of Gourry's, who had fought next to him in a war. Without war, Grize had become a drunken brawler by day and guard to a cult of demon worshipers at night. He didn't care about demons, but hoped that raising a powerful one would start a war, because he thought the adrenline rush and spoils of war were better than guarding a scrawny little girl. Grize tried to murder Lina while she was concentrating on preventing the raising of the demon. In probably one of the hardest moments of Gourry's life, Gourry had to kill his old friend, although true to his style, he tried to prevent it by talking to him and warning him off first. The creators themselves seemed to have written Gourry OOC.

Usually my stories have no continuity with each other. Early on, this one did have some hints to another story which never can be published here. If you're interested, e-mail me, and I'll tell you where it and my earliest efforts at Slayers fanfics may be found. The ones on fanfiction.net are the ones people have said they've liked best.

My other pen name means "Old Mother," and with a kid in her mid-twenties, that's what I am. Good anime appeals to all generations, and can take an old lady's mind off her responsibilities and aging bod.

Bye!. Thanks for reading!


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